AND THEY VOTE

                  I'm flying back today from Palm Springs, a desert city with 120 golf courses that each use 1 million gallons of water a night.  No worry, say the locals, "we have an ocean of water under us."  And they vote.

                  On the way out, a couple sat in A and B seats (I was in C, on the aisle) and the wife was wearing a mask.  Oh boy.  I don't know which is more concerning these days:  a morbidly obese person coming down the aisle ("Please don't let them sit next to me"), a crying infant, or a mask wearer.

                  The mask wearers come with all sorts of paranoias.  As soon as this couploe got situated, they began wiping every possible surface--even the seat belt buckle--with sani-wipes.  She was nice--asked me if I wanted to wipe my stuff down.  "No, I want your germs," I replied, with a smile that she accepted.

                  I know some folks will think me judgmental--offering that perhaps they have immune problems or some compromised health issues that make them especially concerned.  That may be, but what followed is the crux of this blog.

                  As soon as they got wiped and situated, out came a bag of Doritos.  Both were quite overweight.  Needless to say, I didn't have access to my left arm rest; I had to hang out in the aisle the entire flight.

                  After the Doritos, they opened a multi-unit tray of Reese's cups, tilting the tray into their mouths I guess so they wouldn't touch the wrapping.  By that time, we were airborne and here came the service cart.  Coca-Cola next, of course, along with a purchased meal pack of carbs.

                  Half an hour later, in that lull of the flight when people are fed and watered and all is quiet, they rang their flight attendant bell.  She came running and the husband said "my wife is having trouble with her sugar; could you bring us some juice?"   A few minutes later, the attendant delivered a cup of apple juice.

                  Does this story need any explanations?  I don't think so; you can draw your own conclusions.  They're probably on medicare.  And they vote.

                  How can we raise the common sense of people who vote, or barring that, keep them off the roles?