Common Sense: Not So Common

I think we really need to take a look at the phrase "Common Sense" from a current, new world perspective. It is my opinion that we rely on each individual to possess a certain amount of this so called substance, and I'm beginning to truly believe that by doing so, we are just making our own lives and those around us, by far...worse.

Today, I'm in here, on the phone, sitting at the computer working on this FEMA project for Katrina, and I hear a loud screech, a big bang and then "GET BACK HERE YOU FUCKIN' BITCH!!!" I politely let the person I was talking to go, tossed the phone to Mr. DK, instructed him to call 911 and then bolted out the door. In the middle of the intersection near my house, there's a black Harley laying on its side, with it's driver lying a good 20 feet from the bike in the middle of the road. I see no car anywhere, no traffic...nothing. The only movement I see is people emerging from their homes to see what the hell is going on, and the driver of the Harley flipping the bird with both hands and a very angry grimace towards the street that runs west.

I get out there talk to him, and try to assess his damage. I let him know that help is on its way, but that I am trained First Response, and that I can help. He says his shoulder hurts, his arm hurts and his bike "FUCKIN' HURTS". Cool. He's talking, he's pissed...this is good. Pissed is great. I ask what happened, and he said this chick in a blue cavalier ran the stop sign, coming from the east. He was travelling north on the other side. She didn't even pause at the stop sign...she just flew right on through, though she did break for the car that was in front of him, but accelerated when she saw him. Then...she just kept on going.

Another girl arrives on scene. She says she saw and knows who did it. The girl is 17 years old, by the name of Ashley Grove...(did you get that?) ASHLEY GROVE of JACKSON, MI who hit him and ran. Perfect. We've now got a suspect, the make and model of the car, law enforcement is on it's way, and our guy, while certainly banged up and pissed, is going to live to ride that gorgeous bike again.

Turns out our victim is a retired deputy of the Jackson Sheriff's dept. He has his gun on him. He advises me he's got it, and when law enforcement arrives, he advises them that he's got it. I love it when people play by the rules. Good stuff.

So, back to the common sense issue. For us, it's common sense that a person is going to stop at stop signs, that they'll at least pretend to obey traffic laws, and certainly, if they hit a 300 pound Harley...that they'll at least stop. NO. We have it wrong. Not everyone plays by those rules. I'd like to think that most of us do, but apparently, not so much.

We can apply this same line of thinking to every other aspect of our lives too. "Honey...did you take the garbage out?" "Nope." "Well, it's Tuesday night, they pick up on Wednesday, common sense would tell you that you outta get it out there." Uh huh. Not so much.

So, how do we avoid just assuming that others have it? And how do we tell, from a purely judgemental and once-over standpoint, if they have it or if they don't? I mean...you look at someone and their personality could differ 100% from what you THOUGHT they should act like.

Good Lord. We get the answer to this question...and we've got it made. Everyone that's got the Common Sense Gene...hop on my boat. Everyone who's not...you and Ashley Grove (of Jackson, MI) need to go dive off a cliff. You're breathing my oxygen, you're wasting my time, my energy, Mr. Harley guy's money on insurance rates, and you're pissing me off.

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