Troubled Soul

I do not receive messages like this often, because most people who disagree or do not understand my website do not take the time to send me a message. They usually surf on, which is normal behavior among educated and civil adults. But it happens sometimes. Thus is the risk of having a public website.

"Steve" from Kent, Washington, writes:

Name: steve
EmailAddr: stevebesc@xyz...
Location: here
Message: Just finished a quick peruse of your site, and haven't stopped laughing. I hope you're joking with all that decades-too-late Village People crap.

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REMOTE_ADDR=67.168.50.8

My response?

He may be coy in trying to hide where he's from, but I have enough protections on my website and email that I know where the writers originate -- purely for my protection. This guy wrote "here" when his IP address reveals that he used a computer whose IP was based in Kent, Washington, USA. Kent is a small suburb of Seattle, located south and east of the SeaTac airport.

He found my website looking for information about Lucchese boots, and whether the 1883 line of boots by Lucchese has pegged soles, as their higher-end Lucchese Classics do. But instead of finding the answer to that question on this blog or my website, instead he chose to write a message that demonstrates that he is seriously troubled.

I regret this guy feels that way, but if he doesn't understand or like leather, that's his business. However, his message is reflective of today's lack of civility. More people these days seem to enjoy thinking that they are hiding behind a veil of anonymity when they post or send messages like that one. It is a shame there are so many. (Have you read blogs or comments on YouTube videos where the account owner does not moderate the comments? For gay guys, most of the comments are really, really rude and nasty.) All this behavior does is generate feelings of pity for such people, and prayers for relief of their anger and sorrow.

Life is short: remember and apply what your Momma taught you -- if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all.