Orange Mountain Trumpcat, Cambridge, Vermont
I, a Canadian, was standing on a hillside road preparing to photograph the Vermont valley below. An orange cat walked up the hill while making incoherent sounds, ranting about something. I took his photo as he approached, but he insisted that I could not do so without concessions. I explained that I had already photographed him. He said I could not take the photo unless I made concessions and bought pizza in the US at the end of the day. I reminded him that I had already taken the photo – it had been done - and explained that I always have pizza at the end of the day in Vermont, so it was not a concession. He agreed that I had conceded. He further insisted that I stop bringing non-orange cats or catnip into the country. I explained that I have never done that, but that more cats and catnip cross into Canada from the US than the other way around (not to mention guns!!). He agreed that I will stop doing the thing that I am not doing. I stated again that I have never done it, and as such could not do again something that I have never done before. He said that we had had a good talk, maybe even the best talk, and walked away. As he passed my car, he noted my dog sitting in the back seat. He told me to fire my dog or at least offer him a buy-out. My dog just shook his head and said, “That orange cat is an a&$*ole!”
When you load a gun and point it at the head of a friend, that friend cannot ever trust you again. Furthermore, your other ‘friends’ who have witnessed the lies, false accusations and threats cannot ever trust you again. What some claim was a harmless bargaining technique is forcing most friends and trading partners to reassess their existing relationship and align with other, more stable, partners. Lies do and should have consequences. Pathological liars cannot be trusted. People who support, defend and enable pathological liars, also cannot be trusted. I like all the states that I have visited. I like all the people I have met there, but my dog was right.
Orange Mountain Trumpcat, Cambridge, Vermont
I, a Canadian, was standing on a hillside road preparing to photograph the Vermont valley below. An orange cat walked up the hill while making incoherent sounds, ranting about something. I took his photo as he approached, but he insisted that I could not do so without concessions. I explained that I had already photographed him. He said I could not take the photo unless I made concessions and bought pizza in the US at the end of the day. I reminded him that I had already taken the photo – it had been done - and explained that I always have pizza at the end of the day in Vermont, so it was not a concession. He agreed that I had conceded. He further insisted that I stop bringing non-orange cats or catnip into the country. I explained that I have never done that, but that more cats and catnip cross into Canada from the US than the other way around (not to mention guns!!). He agreed that I will stop doing the thing that I am not doing. I stated again that I have never done it, and as such could not do again something that I have never done before. He said that we had had a good talk, maybe even the best talk, and walked away. As he passed my car, he noted my dog sitting in the back seat. He told me to fire my dog or at least offer him a buy-out. My dog just shook his head and said, “That orange cat is an a&$*ole!”
When you load a gun and point it at the head of a friend, that friend cannot ever trust you again. Furthermore, your other ‘friends’ who have witnessed the lies, false accusations and threats cannot ever trust you again. What some claim was a harmless bargaining technique is forcing most friends and trading partners to reassess their existing relationship and align with other, more stable, partners. Lies do and should have consequences. Pathological liars cannot be trusted. People who support, defend and enable pathological liars, also cannot be trusted. I like all the states that I have visited. I like all the people I have met there, but my dog was right.