I had a very odd experience the other day. I caught a neighbor trying to shove some yard waste onto a section of our property. Our home is a former rental, and it is taking us some time to get a handle on every neglected thing that needs to be addressed. This area of land in question is particularly troublesome, and I very politely asked him not to make a bad situation worse. I've even hired the guy a few times to do some extra mowing for us.
I did not expect the reaction I got. He thrust his chest out and bowed up on me. His eyes got wide with rage. He even bared his teeth before launching into a diatribe about how none of the previous owners and occupants of the property cared about the upkeep. He was practically screaming at me as I realized this grown man was having a meltdown on the sidewalk. I wasn't afraid, but I also knew that I was dealing with someone who, at least temporarily, was not acting rationally. I did eventually talk him down, but the whole thing was bizarre. And all over a couple of tumbleweeds.
Maybe he was mad that he got caught and reacted with a tantrum. But I don't think so.
KTLA reports that on Feb. 5, 59-year-old Jonathan Mauk was at a Walmart in San Bernardino, Calif. He was looking for a parking space when his car bumped into another vehicle. According to the story, the damage was limited to a couple of scratches. Nevertheless, Mauk got out of his car to apologize to the other driver. That is when the other driver, 36-year-old Shawntece Norton, got out of her car and shot Mauck in the face, killing him. Norton drove away and was later arrested. She has been charged with murder and personal/intentional use of a firearm.
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The New York Post notes that Mauk's son, Matthew, said his father was a kind and generous man who loved being called "Grandpa." Mauk was at the store to pick up ingredients to make jerky with his family later that day. Mauk was also a car enthusiast who worked at an auto shop. A friend and co-worker told KTLA, “I cried when I found out he got killed. That’s what he loved — cars. He probably would have fixed the lady’s car for nothing, but she ended up shooting him.” Matthew commented that he could not understand why someone would shoot another person over such a minor thing.
Funny, I remember being told that by this time in history, we would all be enjoying flying cars and living lives of ease, not shooting one another over something that, in all likelihood, would have buffed out. But then again, look where we have been during the past five years or so. I'm not going to roll the instant replay on those events, but you know what I am talking about. PJ Media and other outlets have been chronicling the descent of the nation for some time. The symptoms are manifesting beyond riots, shoplifting, CHAZ/CHOP zones, shootings, and the streets of blue cities. They are becoming a part of everyday life. Our "leaders" and media, along with the colleges and activists, are making everyday people crazy.
Staying sane in the 21st Century is a tough challenge. 2024 is only going to get rockier, and frankly, 2025 isn't looking that hot, either. I would like to close this piece with some words of wisdom. I would like to, but I don't have any. When you pretty much doom-scroll for a living, it's easy to get discouraged by the end of the day. I would say "Don't let the world get you down," but that would be impossible. So instead, maybe we have to settle for not letting the world drag us under.
