(A difficult conversation with my brother, Lloyd)
"Well, you do agree at least that the President is doing a good job with the War, don't you?"
"Actually, not. I'm afraid that I'm thinking about dis-agreeing. I mean, we had all this bluster and clear ambitions when we started, even tho' we were warned it was going to be long and difficult, but even now they're trying to claim success, when, the truth is, that even if you wanted to give them credit for a good start..."
"Ah, hah! I see: You are a dissident!"
"Oh! Well, no! I meant to say that I was contemplating thinking about dis-agreeing. I mean, I don't want to be disagreeable about disagreeing, I just..."
"So: you are a diffident dissident."
"Hmmm. Geez. I guess I'm not being clear. I mean to say that I'm not a dissident and I'm not ashamed to say so! Not at all like those other people who disagree, just because they want to disagree, and then they just disagree to be disagreeable!"
"Yes, I do see the distinction: You are a different diffident dissident from all those other diffident dissidents."
"Yes, I don't care about these things as much as them, they go w-a-a-a-a-a-y overboard."
"Uh-huh, then you are an indifferent different diffident dissident."
"I see that you are being intentionally obtuse. You have no idea, it seems, of the dangers inherent in labeling someone a dissident: there are many perils for them, not the least is financial!"
"And that makes you, the indigent indifferent different diffident dissident!"
"Can't you conduct a civil conversation, just once?"
"Hah-hah-hah! Now he's the indignant indigent indifferent different diffident dissident!"
And so, as the loser, I had to pay for dinner -- but that's all right, it was my favorite Italian restaurant, one where they make the caesar salad right at the table for you, and the veal medallions are s-o-o-o-o g-o-o-od, I could go on-and-on about them, how I love those Italian medallions, with tiny onions, the Italian medallions with scallions ....
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