Before continuing with the horse paddock debacle of Moon River, a reminder that the paddocks aren’t the primary focus of the Moon River Monocle. The issue is the selfishness and polite hatred of neighbors prevalent in the world.
I’ve witnessed and suffered the rotten attitudes of several who think they have the social right to do as they please, treat their offenses as though nothing happened, and that neighbors have no right to complain or differ with them.
Adding sin to sin, they think they can justify themselves by pretentious social gestures that have no substance or value, and that such conduct would compensate for their selfish behavior. It is hypocrisy.
If there are things God hates, it’s lying, injustice, slander, and hypocrisy. I will address such cases and won’t stop until justice is satisfied in Heaven and Earth by the record. Some are so used to their unacceptable and unjust way of so-called life they’re barely aware of it. I’ll make known their ways as unacceptable to both man and God. Now for…
Annette Tompkins:
Miriam or anyone else, you can pass this letter on to Annette, seeing I don’t have her public email address and I don’t appear to be welcome on her doorstep, as is widely evident. My experience with her in all of this has been an unpleasant one. She has no business making it a nasty affair, doing to others what she’s been doing. I’ve meant and done her no evil. What was I doing wrong that I should be treated rudely and hated? Was I forced to be the offender by having to speak up when no one else would?
Tell me, anyone, what wrong have I done any of you? Why was Annette upset with me? I knew why. I was doing all path users a favor, and she didn’t appreciate it. After all, she was a horse paddock possessor! How dare I? She proceeded to threaten me to not threaten her. How ironic! I threatened nobody.
I’ll tell you what happened for the record. Weeks earlier, on September 5, I had asked Annette to be considerate of her neighbors and cease letting her horse crap on the community path. As I had asked you, Miriam. Only while you made a promise to deal with your horse and made good on it, I was annoyed when Annette gave me an unexpected array of childish, outrageous arguments and excuses for why she had the right to let her horse shit on the path.
“This path wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for us horse paddock people.” Suggesting we non-horse owners were privileged by the horse owners, she was therefore allowed to do as she pleased. And that we peons (or “poop-ons”) should be thankful to occasionally step in shit, shut up, and enjoy.
But how does that work? Is it true? Is it considerate and respectful to others? Is it fair?
She continued her defense: “They (the walkers) could walk off the path around the dumps.”
Really? Let horses and Annette do as they please and the rest of the community must tolerate her crude, selfish behavior? Says who, the head of the paddock committee? Is that how she likes to be treated?
“What about the dog crap?” she countered.
“That too, Annette. Dog owners are responsible for it on the path; they need to clean up behind them. But we’re dealing with your horse crap right now; that’s the issue,” I returned.
She wouldn’t quit: “Once a horse stops to dump, it can’t move; it stays where it dumps,” she argues.
So, whose fault is that – if true? Who put the horse on the path?
“What about bikes? They’re not supposed to be on the path!” she objected.
True, but while the path wasn’t meant for bikes, they don’t shit and leave unpleasant messes. Besides, her horse behavior was still the issue for now.
“Be considerate of your neighbors, Annette.”
“If I get off my horse to clean up after it, I can’t get back on,” she excused.
Then keep your horse off the path, which is for people, not horses that don’t need manicured paths. If their tootsies are so tender, shoe them… double, with American, not Chinese, steel! Or come back when done with your ride and clean up!
She just would not quit: “Horse manure breaks down soon, so what’s the problem?” she argued.
Horse manure has remained for months, on or beside the path. Meanwhile, do we stay off the path or follow her instructions until the stuff disappears?
“Consider your neighbors,” I insisted.
Suddenly, she becomes conveniently considerate to her one remaining paddock partner, Miriam, who was waiting patiently for us in her car behind Annette. “I gotta go. We’re holding up traffic,” she dismissively declared, and took off.
What the..? Where are common reason and decency anymore? What am I doing wrong? Will someone please tell me? After all, I’m telling you what you’re doing wrong, aren’t I? Return the favor, please. Shouldn’t my intervention for good be considered a social service and not treated as a criminal offense?
And now, as we pass one another on the road, Annette and Jay won’t so much as look at me. What? Are you two right?
What is it with people? I’m trying to be nice about it even though “taking shit” from them in more ways than one, while they expect me and everyone else to take it. Then, they resent me for not taking it, compelling me to speak up against it. Chutzpah, I’d say.
Truly, Annette, you ought to be thanking me for making you see the decent social light, but no! You’re offended. Amazing, the attitudes of the world. Selfish, hateful, privileged, and thoroughly rude. And they speak against me as though I was a selfish troublemaker.
I can take shit and have taken much, but now I’m tired of it. I’m tired of being a silent coward who sees and hears the wrong but remains silent for fear of social stigma and repercussions. What? Offenders dare to be publicly selfish and obtrusive, and I don’t dare open my mouth against community selfishness and unpleasantries?
Isn’t it time reality had a say? I think so. Isn’t this what the stuff of life and loving neighbor is supposed to be all about, after all? More on that with specific individuals, too. For now…
What about the welfare of the horses? And what is the solution to this situation, which I would categorize as a crisis when it comes right down to decency and honesty?
The next issue coming soon.
Victor Hafichuk