The Russian ambassador is gunned down in an art gallery in Ankara. A crazed  truck driver from Tunisia plows into a crowd of Berliners gathered at an outdoor Christmas market. Tis the season! Happy Hollow-daze, people.

Oh, and so many more examples of humankind’s universal brotherhood of peace, love and understanding are out there, captured by CCTV, or smart phone/social media breaking news!

Seen those images of Aleppo? The city’s streets are strewn with the rubble of the buildings that, at this point, partially remain curbside. Ever seen pictures of European cities bombed to ruin during WWII? That’s Aleppo. Hard to imagine there was a time when those buildings contained Syrian families, who now have created a refugee crisis not seen since–well, WWII.

Then there was a story on some news site recently that invoked the “honor killing” of four young women, I believe in Pakistan, after their elders discovered a video of them doing…doing…something so very intolerable…that I can barely bring myself to reveal what it was they were doing. But, what the hell, here it is: these girls were DANCING. And enjoying it! Oh, and if that weren’t horrific enough, the video also contained the image of a young male of the species who, too, ugh!, was DANCING. And also somehow enjoying it. Such contempt for proper comportment and self-control. Not sure how these girls met their demise. Stoning? Beheading? Tossed into some pit of fire?

Closer to home, there was a recent case of road rage that ended with a 3 year-old being shot to death. No, the toddler wasn’t driving but you know, the theme here is shit happens. Constantly. But why?

To quote the late Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?”  Remember Rodney? The  African-American pulled over by L.A.P.D. for some traffic violation (or who knows why?) and in short order was getting the living crap beaten out of him–and all the whacking caught on video. Those cops went on trial. They were acquitted. Riots ensued in the hood.

But police have reigned in such abusive behavior since that early 90s incident. No wait. That was a dream someone might still have. Now, caught on video cop-on-civilian beatings, or worse documenting their pumping the “offender” full of hot lead is about as common as those sweet and silly cat-taking-a-shit-in-master’s-commode YouTube postings.

Yes, it’s just one big love fest all over the world. And it’s Christmas! Except, not everyone is Christian, which pisses off some of those “not of the faith” types, and well, tempers can flare. Just say happy holiday! That’ll repair the rip in the fabric of our worldly religious crazy quilt. No, wait. That’s another dream someone is still having, too.

Oh, and pay no attention to the alleged melting polar ice caps. It’s a hoax. Just ask some of our members of Congress. The American public always puts the right people in office, who care about things that need caring about. If climate change was real, they’d CARE about it. What, you think the voters are stupid or something when it comes to making ballot booth decisions?

Humanity. Humankind.

Keep the faith, whatever that constitutes. Perhaps the tooth fairy is real, like the sandman. Those two are in cahoots, ya know? I really believe that. What? You don’t? How’d you like a knuckle sandwich? Oops. Like I said. Keep that faith. Believing is seeing, after all.

But try not to think about who is to get the nuclear launch codes soon. It’s quite beyond belief.

All the horrors of humanity writ small, medium, large, extra-large and extra, extra large, captured on social media, or popping up on news sites far and wide seem to indicate a troubled world. If love is the answer, what is the question? Is peace, love and understanding avilable on Amazon? eBay?

Maybe not, eh? Seems not to be in vogue. See above…

As Hemingway’s doomed protagonist in his story The Killers is advised as he awaits the hired guns coming to rub him out: try not to think about it.

Or, as the troubled cafe patron in the Hemingway tale A Clean, Well Lighted Place is summed up by one of the cafe’s late-night waiters wanting to close up and go home says of him: It is only insomnia. Many must have it.

Yeah. Troubled sleep. Troubled world. Un-BE-lievable.

But for some of us, we’ll always have game 7 of the World Series, and the impossible dream of a Cubs championship. What else really matters now? Besides that other…stuff. See above…

Whew! I’m finished here. Time to go to the café. And try not to think about any of the conflict and carnage. It is only reality. Many others, too, must feel it. Like an irritating bur at the nape of the neck.

Beam me up. Nothing to see here…

:):):)