Tuesday, August 19, 2008

a rare moment of victory, rare as a unicorn

I was arguing over the telephone with my father about whether oil drilling should commence ASAP in all areas of America where oil is likely to be. He is of the Republican opinion that duh, we need oil, and those lily livered environmentalists should stand out of the way. (Surprisingly enough this man holds that opinion after writing a guide to energy conservation in the seventies and spending much of his life tinkering with solar power before it was fashionable).

"Even if all the oil reserves in the U.S. were exhausted, that would only buy us about a year. It's just a blip in the world oil supplies." That point didn't seem to go anywhere, as my father seemed to feel it would be gentlemanly of us to take up the burden of oil production so long demanded of our global acquaintances.

"California has a huge economy, it's a rich state, and our major industry is tourism. It would be asinine to risk our beautiful coastline, on which we depend for our biggest industry, tourism, for just a few months worth of oil supply. It's the same in Florida; they make all their money off tourism, and it would be crazy to risk it with offshore drilling."

My father says slyly, "So how many tourists you got there this year, with everyone staying at home?" I can tell he thinks he has me.

I close in for the kill: "Hotel occupancy rates are way up. The city's full of Europeans. And it's affecting everything. I read in the Chron that they're all determined to try the best California wines, and with the dollar so weak, they're ordering $200 bottles when they used to get cheap ones. They come to shop, because everything costs so much less here than back home. It's like they're running around in a bargain basement store. They get a lot of electronics."

He actually took this point and gave up the debate.

I am over forty, and I have finally won an argument with my father.

5 comments:

Dread Pirate Davi said...

Are you telling that's how long I have to wait before I will finally defeat my own father in a debate?!

I feel like crying.

hughman said...

not that long. truth is. you've been right all along. get used to it. people older than our generation are living on another planet. a planet that i sometimes love - pencil skirts!! - but usuallly find silly. you win by being right and most importantly, able to make a difference in the world. you are divine and don't ever let any Old Coot stray you.

2amsomewhere said...

Perhaps it is a omen of things to come in November?

--
2amsomewhere

the Drunken Housewife said...

Well, Davi, perhaps you are brighter than the Drunken Housewife and perhaps your father is a more flexible thinker than mine? Don't give up hope!

Thanks, Hughman, for the love!

2AM, I hope it's an omen.

Anonymous said...

I've always wondered why there are so many foreign wine-sellers here in California.



haha