Prickly People

So recently I offended two FaceBook (tm) "friends," which is more proof that the Ds are right -- I ought to get off FaceBook! But I enjoy catching up with old friends, and simply can't help myself when I see hypocrisy or other things that need to be called out.

The first example involves someone I'll call Cynthia, since that's her name. We went to law school together, and I didn't know her well, but she bore a striking resemblance to Wifey. In fact, a few times my friend Mike saw her and asked if Wifey were on campus for some reason. Well -- we lost touch after law school, and she friended me a few years back.

Best as I can tell, she never married, never had kids, and no longer practices law. After the incident where I was accused of being a bastard (I wasn't sufficiently liberal in something I wrote), Mike checked out our profile, and said she was a combination of Elizabeth Warren and a crazy cat lady. I no longer post on her page.

The second example is someone I'll call Donna, since that's her name. Donna is very smart, and was my moot court partner in school. She is also VERY liberal, and a stickler for things like grammar rules. In other words -- emblematic of her Wellesley education.

She is very much a populist, and hates elites, and sent both daughters to expensive private schools in Broward, and one is now at, I think, Wesleyan, the better to live the life of the oppressed people. Am I smarmy here?

Well yesterday, I posted Dave Barry's annual gift giving guide, and noticed Donna had shared it. Now -- when I share something from another's page, I always "like" it first, and often say I am stealing the item. Well -- Donna did neither -- just shared the Dave Barry article as if she had found it.

I pointed out this breach of etiquette, in, I thought, an overly formal, meant to be funny, manner. She reacted as if I accused her of being a Republican.  I told her I was kidding, and she, like Cynthia, was being sensitive. She said she was sensitive when something wasn't funny. Of course, this makes it even funnier to me.

Ah -- to have silliness like this --I'm a lucky dude.

Anyway -- last night Wifey and I drove across Old Cutler Road to Gables by the Sea -- her friend Nancy was hosting a party to watch the neighborhood boat parade. It's lovely -- only about 10 boats, but they cruise by with flashing lights and carolers.

Nancy and Wifey met in Mommy and Me -- D1 and her boy Victor were just a few months old. Now both are married -- and Victor is a lawyer in town.

I caught up with Ed -- a long time defense lawyer who defended some of my firm's cases. His youngest son, D2's age, now practices law with him. Ed is an old "Miamuh" guy -- very WASPy, and married to a Cubana. He loves the city like I do -- we shared a few out of the way sandwich places we each knew about.

Also there was a lovely young neighbor of Nancy's -- she is D1's age, and they know each other from Junior League.Haley started two local magazines, and is lovely. Her Dad is a radiologist at Baptist, and I texted Dr. Kenny about him. Sure enough -- Kenny was with her Dad at their group's holiday party. Miami is truly the smallest town/big city there is.

Later today, Wifey and I are headed to the Palace -- it's my ancient suegra's 95th birthday. Wifey is bringing her a cake -- we'll sit with her outside, in the gazebo, and reflect on a very, very long life. My mother in law is the definition of Survivor -- the Holocaust, the foundation of Israel, and now, the many decades of her life.

Thankfully, she's happy these days -- forgetting the pain and tough things she goes through . She had a fall recently, which required a few stitches at the ER. She has no recollection of it, but now requires bed rails to keep her from wandering during the night.

D2 and Jonathan are due in tonight from NYC. I offered DadBer, but Jonathan left a car at MIA. Friday we had dinner with D1 and Joey.

The Ds are right -- I have too much going on in real life to mess with FaceBook.  But the lure of chisme is just so strong...