Over ten years ago now, back when I was buying a lot of CD's, LP's, and all the various other physical types of music that I could acquire, I came upon this complete collection of CD's from the band, Pet Shop Boys. Though Pet Shop Boys really broke big in the 1980s, I was never really either a fan or a non-fan of the band. Some of their MTV pop songs that were being played all the time I liked, others, not so much. But, I always knew about them, and I always knew they were a thing.
 
Seeing the CD's that day, and picking them up, it did provide me with the ability to truly peer into the music of that band. The thing that surprised me the most back then, was what a very good band they were/are. I mean, they really created a lot of really good music. A lot of very good music that nobody had heard unless they actually listened to all of the entire LPs or CDs.
 
Anyway, time goes past, years spread out, and I had left that collection of Pet Shop Boys CD's stuck within my thousands of other CD's. CD’s from that era and different eras.
 
I had this weird idea today. That idea was to relisten to that collection of Pet Shop Boys CD's. It had been a long time since I've heard their music. And, just for the record, I do have a CD player in my car. Pretty unusual in this day and age; right?
 
Anyway, sure, every now and then, on the radio, a song from Pet Shop Boys will pop up, and every now and then, when I'm skimming through music videos, both old and new on YouTube, late in the late night, I will hear and/or see something from the band. But, those are all from the really popular hits of the band. None of that music is from the obscure. The obscure, where I always prefer to dwell.
 
Anyway, as L.A. is so defined by driving, and those of us who live here, each, spends so much of our time driving from place to place—driving, therefore, provides us with a lot of time to listen to something and/or nothing. Mostly, I always enjoy seeking out new music. So, I'm always listening to radio stations that provide such things. We have some really great public access stations here in L.A. that really provide a unique look into a cross blending of music. It's always great to find that something new!
 
All this being said, today, I decided to pop in the Pet Shop Boys. Listening to them again and either reconfirm or dissuade what I had discovered so many years ago.
 
Okay, all that is a setup for the whatever and the etcetera in the very non-important realities of life. Only important to those of us who live it. Here it goes…
 
Anyway, I'm driving along, listening to one of the Pet Shop Boys CD's, enjoying the music coming through my speakers and this very old, junkyard of an aging minivan, pulls out from a side street directly in front of me, totally cutting me off. I try to stay calm in those situations. It's not always easy though, because so many people drive so bad these days. But, the music was good, so I did my best to just let it go. The problem then became, this person was driving slow. So slow on a two-lane road. There was no way I could pass this person. And, they had this really bad habit of out of nowhere just slamming on their brakes because they thought there was going to be a bump or something like that in the road. I don't know what it is? But, it was really fucking annoying and upsetting. You know how that goes.
 
Finally, I was able to get around the person driving the junkyard minivan. Looking at him, he was an old dude. I would place him at least in his late 70s. Maybe older? He looked kind of like something out of a beatnik movie. He had a goatee, and he was wearing a beret. His hair was a little bit long under the beret. Kind of amusing. I guess he had his look. But, the one thing I can say for sure is, the dude was obviously way too old to be driving. He just did not know what he was doing anymore. And, did not know how to treat the road, the traffic around him, the people around him, and/or his car.
 
I mean, really, the question once again arose in my mind, how old is too old to drive?. When are you too old to drive? Like I've probably said in times gone past in this blog and elsewhere, I get it, people want mobility. People want to be able to get to where they want to go. But, when they become more of a hindrance than a help, should they have the right?
 
Okay, when I finally got around the guy, I could continue to calmly listen to the music, as I was driving to this supermarket, where I was going to pick up dinner. You know me, I don't like to buy food in advance. I pretty much only buy it on the day I'm going to eat it. That way, not only do I keep it fresh, but I leave my options open, in case I decide to go out to dinner or anything like that.
 
Anyway, I go and buy some stuff. I say, “Hi,” to this store worker I know of Japanese origin. She's always amused at me when I speak to her in Japanese. Anyway, I’m walking back to the car, and I noticed this one guy talking to this woman. I heard her saying that she didn't really have anything she could give him to help him out. So, I figured he was just another one of those guys begging for money in the parking lot. He's certainly not the first one I've seen there. Nor the only one. The funny thing about this is, I actually live in what may be defined as an affluent neighborhood. So, it's kind of surprising to find people like that popping up in the parking lot(s). But, from what I've witnessed, some of these people actually seem to take the bus there. I guess they find it's a good place to beg for money. Anyway, and in any case…
 
I'm walking past the guy and the woman who didn't want to give him any money or anything else, and I'm assuming he's going to ask me for something. But hey, I haven't carried cash in years. So, there's really not much I could do for him. And, that would have been my answer. But, instead of doing that, he just follows me for a while. Follows me far too closely as I'm walking towards my car. Me, being the untrusting guy of the streets that I am… I mean, you can take the boy out of the jungle but you can't take the jungle out of the boy. I was expecting he was going to say or do something that I may not be very happy with. Plus, certainly, I don't appreciate being followed that closely. But, what can you do? You just got to be ready for whatever comes next.
 
Nothing really did come next, however. That’s a good thing. But, the guy started talking as he was following me. The words he was saying were along the lines of, “Professor Muther Fucker. I hate Professor Muther Fuckers. I'm a professor of…”  And, he said the final part very loudly, “Kill, Kill, Kill. I’m Professor Kill, Kill, Kill.” Okay…
 
All of this made me smile. Obviously, the guy was a bit off his rocker. But, at least he didn't ask me for money.
 
I don't know why this is, but for decades now, more people than not, when they ask me what I do… You know, the way people do that… So many always question, “Are you a professor.” I really don't know why that is? I never really understood it. I guess it's just the way I dress or something like that??? Sure, I've spent my fair amount of time in front of a class. Whether it's teaching the martial arts, filmmaking, or a little bit of the other things I have taught at the university level. But, why people immediately assume that, I really have no idea? At least, other than the guy's words, he didn't make the situation any more aggressive than that.
 
Anyway, what does all this nonsense lead us to? It leads us to the questions asked and perhaps those that were not asked. Who are you? What are you? Why are you doing what you are doing? Are you what the world perceives you to be? Or, is there something else hidden there on the tracks that no one listens to on that CD?
 
Can you be whatever it is you want to be? Or, maybe more to the point, should you be something that you no longer are?
 
Only you can answer any of those questions. But, here’s the bigger question, what impact is what you are doing having on others? And, do you even think about that? Do you even care?
 
If you do care, what are you going to do about it? If you don’t care, what does that make you?
 
Finally, when are you too old to drive?