Good evening, dear reader. I don’t feel like writing much this evening, so this will be brief, but there is a story that I had to keep off my chest. My final phone call at work this afternoon (not because it was the last time my phone rang, but rather because I refused to answer it after this call) was with a student who needed some assistance. At the beginning of the call, I asked if she had contacted Student Technical Support; she said that she had been on hold for longer than she liked and wanted immediate assistance. Technically, I should have referred her to someone else, but I like to help when I can.

To make a long story short, I made sure to speak slowly and clearly – I’ve gotten much better over the phone over the past couple of weeks – yet I was still having to repeat myself several times to be understood. I would choose different words so that I would not encounter phonemes that I am still unable to generate. The conversation ended when she said, “Y’all really should have somebody people can understand on the phone, don’t ya think?” Yes, you read that correctly. Yes, that is a direct quote.

As you might imagine, it is difficult to relate the barrage of hateful thoughts that scorched my brain as she posed that lovely question. If I began to string together insults, I don’t think I would ever finish. So I shan’t start. I’ll just go to bed.

Suffice it to say, she is the winner of the Why-I-Hate-People-Today competition. Good for her.

Until next time, dear reader, take care of each other. And refrain from being an ass-clown to those you encounter who are disabled. Thanks.

Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there’s the superhero and there’s the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he’s Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn’t become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he’s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red “S”, that’s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears – the glasses, the business suit – that’s the costume. That’s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He’s weak… he’s unsure of himself… he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race. - Bill, Kill Bill Vol. 2