Overheard Conversation

On  a Friday night my husband and I went out to dinner in town at our new favorite Italian restaurant—Nonna Bella. I overheard the man sitting at a table next to me with his wife and another couple order a Ketel One martini. But shortly after placing the order the waiter came back and said I am sorry Sir, we have run out of Ketel One. May I substitute Grey Goose instead? And with total indignation the man said Absolutely not! I do not support the French.

I am pretty sure all the waiter needed to hear was the word “No.” The bit about the French was irrelevant to the inquiry.

But that is also when I knew I would spend the rest of my intended romantic dinner distracted by this guy and his guests sitting next to me.

I learned that the 4 people, who were in their mid to late sixties, were all alumni of Penn State. That was the genesis of their friendship. And the man who did not support the French clearly did not support the jury in the Sandusky case either. He quipped that people do not understand about towel snapping and locker room behavior. He claimed that the charges of child abuse were manufactured or at the very minimum misunderstood--misinterpreted. And he said that Joe Pa’s only obligation was to what happened on the field. A coach’s job is to coach-- and nothing more.

And the four friends all nodded their heads in complete agreement.

I shook my head in disgust.

And on that very next Sunday, Penn State dismantled the statue of Joe Paterno and transported it to the basement. And on that Monday the NCAA slapped the school with the most stringent punishment ever imposed by the organization. NCAA President Mark Emmert said that Penn State had put "hero worship and winning at all costs" ahead of integrity, honesty and responsibility.

I concur.

And when my husband and I go to dinner again at our favorite Italian restaurant I may have a Grey Goose and soda. I have no problem whatsoever with the French—especially the fries. I only have a problem with egocentric fools who deserve to have their necks as well as their towels snapped.