Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Speaking Truth to the Young

Michael5000 is running in the park. Down the path, he notices a group of visibly dorky adolescents hanging out together. As he approaches, an especially dorky adolescent rushes out from the group.

Especially Dorky Adolescent (theatrically): Excuse me sir, [unintelligible]?

michael5000 (pausing his ipod, still running): What's that?

EDA(still theatrically): Sir, what are you running from?

m5k: My fears.

The Especially Dorky Adolescent pauses for a moment, surprised. Then:

EDA (puzzled): That's the same thing the last guy said!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Among the many things I like about this vignette, it makes me feel oddly proud of our neighborhood.

Rebel said...

I know! I heart Portland. =)

fingerstothebone said...

Maybe that's what the EDA says to everyone running by...

Yankee in England said...

Good job on the running. Let me know if you ever get away from your fears!

Rebel said...

fingers... way to add another layer of existential analysis

Jenners said...

haha!
Seriously though, what a bunch of dorks! Who does that? And I'm impressed that you run. Wish I did that.

Michael5000 said...

@fingers: That would be even cooler! But he looked genuinely surprised.

Chance said...

When that kid gets older, he'll understand the ubiquity of the sentiment among us lived-in types.

Anonymous said...

So funny! This needs to be a comic. I keep picturing the kid trying to tell some other adult about it in super serious and confused tones. Just hilarious.

Hey, I am taking a poll. Is your refrigerator running?



*Ahem*Just embracing the inner dork princess a bit there. :D

Morgan said...

I don't recall being in any parks lately.

Michael5000 said...

@Morgan: OK, THAT cracked me up.

Karin said...

:)

Ben said...

I often commute by bicycle to work, and there was always a particular bus stop on my route where high school-aged kids would be waiting for the bus.

As I rode by, they would always yell really loudly--I think they were trying to startle me (hopefully not to the point of causing me to veer into traffic to my demise). It reminded me of the little yappy dog that barks at the mail carrier every day and then thinks it scared the carrier away with its ferocity.

After a year or so, those kids grew out of it. I still pass them at the bus stop, but they have given up on the yelling.

Anonymous said...

I'm torn between finding this absolutely hysterically and being really annoyed by teenagers who think it's funny to ask bizarre questions to strangers. Leaning towards the latter—it's always been a pet peeve of mine.