drinking out of bags

I was out with a friend of mine the other night, talking about sad stuff on a step somewhere, drinking out of a bag. There was this kitty that had followed us for a couple blocks and we pet her and she was hangin around us. She was a needy little kitty, still a kitten really, all black with white socks, very friendly. Prone to meowing. I was watching while we talked, and people would pass by and stop to pet the cat.

What is it like living in a world full of giants who want to scratch your back? They call you over and rub you behind the ears. All kinds of different giants, who don't necessarily talk to eachother or look alike or get along, but they all seem to like you.

I was watching these people and I felt okay about them. I kind of got this warm fuzzy feeling watching all these different people walk by and pet the cat. And I sort of felt like we had this unspoken comaraderie, just us among the conspiratorial cat lovers of the world.

I was reading about Iran, and the protests about their election, and I had this kind of awkward realization, feeling how humbled and awed I am by that many thousands in the streets. I believe those people. The sheer image of that many people makes me believe, instantly, before I even know what they have to say. I know it's potentially fallacious because the whole premise is ad populum, but that's the democratic shtick I guess. It's a potentially fallacious one. I see those pictures and my eyes tear up. I want those people to get whatever they want. I believe it can't be malicious, whatever it is that brings that many people together.

I find it interesting when I stumble across a belief. It often strikes me as a realization more than anything else. I just notice that I believe something. And I guess ultimately, I'm still really optimistic about people en masse, as individuals. I think we're doing something terribly wrong, but I believe we have a really incredible potential for doing things right.