Fool on the Hill

An ongoing online discussion in Todd's Serak group on Yahoo has reminded me of something I have come to realize of late:

I am past the age where I will suffer fools gladly.

The genesis of our online argument comes from somebody who knows nothing about the art we practice, but who purports to tell us what we are doing wrong in the practice thereof. He arrived, then in an ingenuous, butter-wouldn't-melt-in-his-mouth manner, asks a "question" which is obviously nothing other than an axe he came to grind. Then when I pointed out the error of his manner and fact of his comment, he became all indignant -- I was just asking an innocent question ... bat, bat went his eyelids ...

Pah. I'm guessing he's young, and certainly he is full of himself, and once upon a time, I'd have cut him more slack, as my kinder-hearted classmates have been doing, but -- bag that. If an atheist goes to a Baptist tent revival meeting and stands up to proclaim there ain't no God, his lack of judgement borders on idiocy -- it might even be fatal. Them Baptists can get passing fierce ...

These days, I'm of the mind that if you come into my clubhouse and say something really stupid? I'm gonna call you on it. If you persist, then you are going to be made to look bad.

Youth. So wasted on the young. There surely must be angels who watch out for fools and children ...