There is a populace fascinated with the Founding Fathers. I believe it’s because that’s as close to royalty as this county will ever come. Maybe that’s why we consume the steady diet of supermarket tabloid covers about the English royal family. For all the talk about respecting the wishes and intentions of those same Fathers; would they be thrilled to hear about our obsession with Kate Middleton?

Catherine doesn’t have free speech since every word of hers uttered in public is dissected, analyzed and recorded, then amplified to an absurd level. Whether you were born in Berkshire or Reading, Mass., your speech is not as confined as the Duchess of Cambridge, but I say self-contained none the less.

I have less people that I’m completely honest with than I want. Right now, the number is just one and unfortunately, he’s the first one I thought about to tell this story because I knew I could be completely honest.

It’s honestly amazing how the price of a product or service can change drastically, but that is the drawback of living in the city. Pick whichever metropolitan you want, there are those who live in the heart of said city and those on the outskirts.

There’s nothing wrong with the outskirts. It’s usually the best place to blend in while going unnoticed, essentially disappearing in broad daylight.

Such is the suburbs.

The same can be said for the city, but to be truly in it means to pay for that luxury. A luxury that is solely the ability to say, “I actually live in the city,” within a conversation with fact framed in a boast about your financial status. Because without question, living ‘in’ the city costs a lot.

Such is the price of luxury.

Since I actually live in the city, but spent my inaugural years in the suburbs I’m familiar with both and know when to leave to pay a fair price. So I left early to be the first one at the auto shop with plans to complete other errands done best in the suburbs.

They say supermarkets will fluctuate prices depending on location. I don’t know much about that, but I’m certain my dry cleaning is cheaper in the outskirts. It helps when you’re bringing your clothes to the same place the city locales will drop off and pick up their orders for the same service.

Glass storefront windows looking on the parking lot means he always noticed me when I pull up and starts moving. I never act as if I notice, but it’s hard not to. Add to it the walk with enough distance for him to search for recognition.

Placing faces with names and offering water is good customer service; so where’s the line when common courtesy becomes creepy?

When I dropped my clothes off, it had been months since I had been in. Perhaps I indulged too much when he asked questions about my family; I only knew about this place from my ex-wife, an addition to that title that wasn’t there the last time I graced this door.

Don’t be fooled into believing I did any more than an observant social media connoisseur couldn’t have determined on their own, but I believe in playing the public conversation ping-pong game, returning serve with meaningless answers and starting with meaningless information.

My serve on this day was simply a weather report and how it was forecasts to rain.

He responded, “That’s bad news for Trump.”

I confirmed he was speaking about President Donald Trump and with that, he continued.

“If it rains, the Mexicans can’t get out and work.

If they stay home today, nine months later there’s a baby.

And Trump and the government then have to pay for it.”

He paused here and with no self-indication of me feelings about his words, I returned the ping-pong with a quizzical response. I wish I remembered exactly what I said that produced what was said next.

“Do you know the first thing the Mexicans do when they get over here?

They have a baby and then they get on the food stamps and get everything else. And you and me, we’re the ones that are paying for it.”

We were at the end of our transaction, so I was able to escape without showing any allegiance. There’s so much to take from this tale, but I’m curious about your take.

There are generic context clues, but I’m curious what you picture the dry cleaner to look like?

While his skin tone doesn’t soften or strengthen his words, is it a factor in your view of him?

These are some of the questions I run through my head when I am deciding what I can and can not, what I should or should not say to someone. There are the obvious restrictions like workplace and age, but between friends should be cool.

So do you label your friends, deciding what you can and will say? When phrased like this, it’s not as easy to answer as:

Do you send your favorite meme of the moment to everyone or do you specifically select who?

Are there certain memes you won’t send to certain friends?

And if so, then how truly can you think of them as a friend?