Politeitics

At the Arby’s he sat at the drive-through window. He ordered the Chicken Salad Sandwich, but they discontinued it. So, he ordered a Reuben, and curly fries. He drove to the window, and heard music. It was using every swear word in the book. So, he asked the man at the window, “Do you think that music is appropriate?” The man looked back, and said, “It isn’t even mine.” Shaking his head in disapproval, masking a hint of reverse racist scorn— Even insinuating the music were inappropriate was racist, as was assuming it was his.

A few months earlier, there was a man listening to similar music. He asked that same man, “Is this your music?” The man said, “Yes.” So, he said, “Do you think it’s appropriate?” The man said, “No.”

Perhaps remembering the previous time it happened—that the man at the window were the owner of the music—it inclined him to ask without the formality of finding out whether he owned it. But, being that the second attendant was offended by the mere suggestion of his music being offensive, said, “We’re a laid back generation, and we don’t give…” To which, he replied, “What if a family drove by here, and their children heard that?”

Of course, it was racist because it wasn’t “his music.” To which, making a man an offender for a word, is itself a form of racism. Insinuating he were racist, when four months previously the same question was asked. Perhaps the polities were missing. To which, it was impolite, maybe. But not racist.

And the Reuben was alright. He forgot to ask for Horsey Sauce.