One of the things I’ve noticed when reconnecting with so many people from my distant past is that, in many cases, there’s a damn good reason they were in the past to begin with.

     The mid- to late-80’s in Knoxville’s historic Old City were rife with what can only be termed as “Neo-Artsy-Gothic” kids hanging out and causing themselves no end of grief.  Actually, that movement didn’t really stop until around ‘94, and by that time a huge percentage of them — like 1 in 3 — had either killed themselves or ended up in jail.  Sometimes their crimes were violent, but they usually revolved around someone getting busted for selling drugs.  When that happened, all the little Wannabe Punks would all act like The Establishment was Keeping Them Down, but then turn right around and squeal like little pigs to the very Machine that they’d raged against before.
     Put simply … they were a bunch of Asshats.

     I used to try and take care of some of them, because I was a little more responsible.  I helped them find places to live, helped them get jobs, tried to keep them out of trouble with cops, and try to cope with whatever the Hell it was that was tormenting them so.
     Eventually, with the biggest majority of them, I realized that was a lost cause.  They wanted their lives to be tragic, and made every effort to bring on the tragedy.  The more grandiose and overly dramatic, the better!

     It’s weird to see a lot of them, now fifteen to twenty years later, and they’re exactly the same.  They somehow have jobs, more money, and they’re still every bit as tragic. 

     I met two of them today at a job interview.  Yep … a couple of wannabe punks who emulated Morrissey and Peter Murphy back then, and they haven’t changed much.  Their attitudes still suck, their social skills haven’t improved, and they’re still wankers.  Forty-somethings, never married, still popping pills, cutting on themselves, getting tattoos, getting arrested every other month because they never learned to shut the Hell up and try being nice to people for a change.

     As I walked out after the interview — which they thought was impressive, and I fit the job perfectly — I heard them talking to one another as I scheduled another interview with the receptionist.
     “Man, he was so much cooler when he had long hair!” said Peter Murphy.
     “Yeah, he’s like all responsible and shit, and apparently has been for a long time.  F$#* him!” replied Morrissey.

     Big difference in me now and then.  I’m nice to people, and a lot of good comes of it.  I tried to be nice to people back then, too, but in all honestly, people didn’t take to it well for various reasons.  I didn’t realize there were many nice people in Knoxville until I cut off the hair…

     And … Back then, I was a lot higher strung that I am now.  I kicked those guys’ sorry asses — on multiple occasions — for looking at me sideways.

     And, somehow, those losers thought that was cool… *shakes head*

     I could have turned and said, “Yeah, ya know what the difference is between you guys then and now?  You used to try and emulate semi-cool, somewhat artistic people.  Now you’re just a couple of washed-up, middle-aged Asshats.”
     Instead, I walked out laughing…  Especially when it hit me that since they’re in their forties and still acting like that, they more likely resemble a couple of Chris Crockers.

     But I have to wonder how on earth Asshats like that could possibly be of any value to their company… They certainly didn’t know anything about what they were interviewing me for…