August 4, 2020 - It Helps to Keep Your Spirits Up

Yesterday, an arts group called the Trump Statue Initiative enacted a few “living statue installments” down on the Portland Waterfront. It was their second performance, the first having been in Washington, D.C., in July.

(Photo courtesy of the Trump Statue Initiative) 

Like all performance art, it was ephemeral, and I wasn’t downtown at the time. I was in the liquor store. (First time in the liquor store since the pandemic began! And where, I ask you, is all the vermouth?? But we’ll get to “things the stores are out of” another day.)

Fortunately, there was a guy ahead of me in line, and his pal was sending him photos of the event, so I got to squint at his phone (six feet away) and enjoy it.

This morning, I went looking for more photos, and they were pretty gratifying, but I made the mistake of reading the comments. (I know, I know. Don’t read the comments. I know.) I quit after the first dozen, but it was actually worth it, for the laugh I got from the exasperated person who wrote, “How does this help?”

I get it, Exasperated Person. I’ve felt that way.

I remember once, a particularly obdurate boss refused to authorize some important thing I needed (it cost money), and then tried to tell me I should instead be grateful because I had been moved into a nicer office. We’d do a weird little dance, where he’d pop in and ask how things were going, and I’d say I still needed X, and he’d say, “But you have this nice office!” I finally got him to quit saying that by replying, “It’s as if my car broke down, and you presented me with a washing machine. It’s a fine washing machine. But I didn’t need it and it doesn’t solve ANY of my problems.”

The first time I had to go to Las Vegas (I am allergic to Las Vegas), we were banking prior to landing, and I looked down at all the neon, and I thought, “Couldn’t we take the money that went into this and put it towards childhood literacy or something?” It was like a “How does this help?” reaction. It was, “Couldn’t you put this energy into something else?”

(Childhood memory of a related vignette: My dad was heading out to go jogging, and my mom said, “Couldn’t you do that behind the lawnmower?” Same question: Couldn’t you put your time and energy into something else instead? I am not sure why this made a profound impression on me as a kid, but it did. I knew my mom was being sortof funny, and I knew she was being a jerk.)

And now, having sympathized with Exasperated Person, I’ll just say that I liked the installations, and they made me smile, and while I grasp that they did not get the lawn mowed, nor promote with childhood literacy, I don’t think they are a waste of energy. I think they help. I can’t say exactly how, but I do.