The Case For Hiatus

It's seriously weighing on me, my grounds for taking what I believe is a very well-deserved hiatus versus the needs and desires of others who question and pick and "seek clarification." At some point I need to ask, "Am I not free to do as I please?" Apparently not.

One obvious response is simply to do what I want, what I choose, to bull my way through. I could do that. Just don't respond at all. Let it drift where it will go. Cut it off and leave a stump behind. Just pack it in and vanish in the night. I've thought of it, don't think I haven't. I'm at the individual level here, without a lot of employees and hungry mouths depending on my every move. But I am also a reasonable person, especially with something like this that really is my baby. I ought to respond in a reasonable way when I can without being overly prickly about it.

I will speak my piece and that'll be it. If there remains yet any objection, then we'll have to agree to disagree. More likely you'll go your way and I'll go mine. But at this point my thinking is that at least it will not occur without a clear statement of my principles and reasons.

I haven't said much about the real life visits I've had with some of you. But there's a principle concerning real life visits that seems to be true. And that is, Those who seek real life visits of people they meet online are more likely to be hopeless psychos than not. Note, I said "more likely," without giving statistics. I don't know the true statistics, of course, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were in the 99% range. The bigger surprise to me is that we are able to know anyone in real life without being jumped with a knife. And being propositioned. Oh yeah!

Now, I have my strict policy of not running anything I consider "blue material." So I won't be describing in any detail my experiences along those lines, except to say it's completely disgusting and reprehensible. I might sit there like la la la, but inside I'm dying. Please get out of my yard, out of my town, as far away from me as possible. Something like that.

There was one psycho and the guy ended up in jail for the night. Some people don't like the word no. He had been drinking. (I'll leave off his last name, Garrett Al ___.) Like Geritol. Sorry for the humor. I'm just glad I can kind of laugh about it now.

Long story short. We got together for one of these real life visits, big mistake. He brought along a bottle and a knife. I also had a knife and we were out whittling by the garage. It's a family custom to whittle while we visit, but those times were never with psychos we met online.

But too much drinking, and Garrett Al being a big amorous guy whose fantasies of meeting someone in real life had finally come true, and his having a knife were almost a lethal mix. When I said no everything went bing bang in his head, and I ended up with a cut on one hand. But he was at a big disadvantage because I know all the places where our lawn tools are leaning. I whacked him with a rake and called the police. My first prayer was, "Thank God for Better Homes and Gardens."

So see? I've been through the mill. I hesitate to mention any of this but every word is true. I'm even shaking right now just to think about it. He could've slipped me a mickey and I could've woke up in Vegas with Property of Garrett Al tattooed to my pelvis. It's crazy.

Anyway, let me have this hiatus -- I'm going to take it -- and I'll try my best to spare you the disgusting details.