I want to have an old school kegger & listening party for the people that are actually reading my posts.
I am trying not to write a song and a 1000 words a day, and striking out every time. I want to do something cool for those of you spending time to read my rants, the travel writing, checking out the song ideas, and my various little intrigues and observations.
You deserve a keg cup. And if you don’t drink, certainly a non alcoholic cider, and a very good time.
One thing that is lost in the text format is how much more fun it is to interact in real life. I was recently in a 24 Hour Fitness hot tub with a Russian kid and a Mexican national with a very highly skilled job at Boeing, in which the company recruited him.
The tension was running high as the Russian lad tells this Mexican gentleman that Mexicans are the main source of crime and welfare spending in the United States, and I step in and break the ice.
But before I went into a historical breakdown, I tell the kid how preposterously unself-aware it is for a first generation Russian kid to pin all of that on so many steadfast three job working Mexican Americans, in almost every kitchen, orchard, and factory in America, when so many people in this town perceive Russians as low level criminals and straight up mobsters, regardless of the honest means he claims to be obtaining his wages.
“You’re a Russian in Everett, are you even aware of the stigma, and you’re talking about cartels? Now John Smith over there can say some ignorant sh☆t like that and he gets the pass, because his family has been here long enough that we can expect him to say some of the wall embarrassing uneducated sh☆t like that. But when he hears that accent, you’re as suspect to him as anyone speaking Spanish. Self awareness my man.”
This Russian kid sees the light and we all have a really cool conversation for a good half hour, about the his parents struggle to establish themselves in this country and the prejudice they faced in the Soviet era as Christians.
Everytime that kid sees me he greets me like a Cousin. Because in real life, respect, charm, and charisma translates. Plus when you say things like that you risk getting actually punched in the face or being embraced. Both of which are awkard in a hot tub at 2 am.
I know this platform is the best we have right now, but real life is better.
He felt my admiration for immigrants, not ill will against his people. And he was shocked by my knowledge of Russian history, which is nothing special, but showed that I obviously respected his people enough to learn everything I can and wanted to know more about being Russian that I wasn’t going to find in a book.
He knocked me out as well. What he told me what his cousins in Russia are being told about America; what they are told the future holds; and why they are supposed to love Trump, and it was pure KGB propaganda and state craft,
…and it was almost beautiful. It was some of the finest bullshit you’ve ever heard and you could see its fingerprints in how Putin warped our minds.
The kid was taken aback when I said there was no sense in trying to convince him that he should not love Trump because he’s Russian, and if you’re really a Russian, you at least have a list of reasons to believe Trump is doing a bang up job.
…for Mother Russia.
But you could see him struggle with the dissonance in his own mind over such a statement. Because the kid actually loves this Country, and his future and his allegiance lies here.
He believes in the dream. He wants to be an electrician and pay taxes and have a family. Unlike his older brother who well…is on a different path.
Maybe it’s the same dream, but he has already seen what happens when you take too many short cuts.
So many stories…
Soundtrack: Maple Valley songwriter, Brandi Carlile – The Story:
– Musician and writer Davin Michael Stedman has many ventures, such as the AMAZING blog, 100milesofmusic.com. Davin’s new song has become a global earworm and Caribbean dancehall hit. Listen here on Reggaeville: DAVIN MICHAEL STEDMAN & ANTHONY RED ROSE – FREE YOUR MIND FEAT. SLY & ROBBIE WITH LENKY MARSDEN. The video is now available on Youtube. His single with British band Sherlock Soul is available here.
