Dear Friends,
How is your autumn going? I have been trying to get the house and yards winter ready, I raked leaves and trimmed the shrubs, pulled weeds and the summer flowers from the garden, put away the rake and shovel and decided to put a coat of paint on our porch furniture. I got in the car and went to get the supplies I would need to accomplish this task. I arrived at the store and upon entering I was greeted by a friendly sales person who asked if he could see my membership card and offered to personally help me find the things I would need. I told him of my project and explained my plans, he grabbed a cart as I decided to stock up early with ice melt, two fifty pound bags, and two new ice scrapers for our windshields, long handled ones, a new snow shovel, and a pair of work gloves.
Then we came to my painting project; the chairs (10) were metal framed as are the legs of the tables (3), the table tops are finished wood. I said I wanted to paint the metal black and he suggested I use a rust preventing spray paint and purchase a quart of matching black and a small brush for the small areas between the seat and back support. For the table top it was suggested a good cleaner that would prep the surface for a clear lacquer spray (at least two coats) to ensure protection from the weather. I thanked him for his help and advice and headed for the checkout counter, on the way I grabbed an impulse item, 25 pounds of bird seed on sale.
At check out the girl readied to ring up my purchase items as I got my credit card out to pay she asked me if I had a savings card, I did, she started ringing my order up, as she picked up my spray cans of paint she said she would need to see my driver’s license, explaining that they must check picture ID in Pennsylvania for spray paint sales. I showed her my “papers” paid and wheeled my goods to the car. On the way home I began thinking, I filled my gas tank and had to insert my club card, I went to the health club I’ve been going to for forty years and had to show my membership card.
I thought about all the cards I am required to carry; insurance cards for auto and health, library card (yes I still go there), senior card for discounts that come with age, gun permit, I even have a card that gets me through the toll booths without stopping. Cards for all the things I do on a regular basis, I never gave them much thought, I just carry them and show them upon request, even today when I needed to show ID to buy spray paint, they explained it was to cut down on graffiti, all the things I carry some sort of ID card for and yet something as important as casting my vote for my choice of elected officials is protested as prejudiced. So carrying a card that identifies me as a legal, American voter is wrong but showing my paid for card when buying toilet paper is just normal, then I got a picture in my head, toilet paper with a warning label “Remove head before using.”