I Have A Right To Be Stupid!

“I can’t believe you did that!” Venora criticizes Anne. “I thought you were smarter than that.”

Four pairs of eyes glared at her, as the waiter eased towards them to take their order. The look they gave her, she read it, eased back, and said, “I will be over there waiting,” she pointed to a large counter. “Just signal when you are ready.”

Venora went on her warpath.

“And you Wendy,” she turned to her right, “You can’t dress like this in the fall. It’s colder and you need to cover up.”

Eyes popped and mouths agape, and she went on, her eyes on Lanize, “I think you should change the theme for your party……”

Wendy bolted up, and Lanize followed saying, her eyes on Paula, positioned beside Venora, Anne to her left, “If we knew she was here, we wouldn’t have come!”

Wendy adds, her eyes on Paula, “Next time, send out your weather report of Volcanic Venora so we can evacuate the area.”

“I agree,” Anne adds easing back to stand up. All three females glared at her in rage, then walked away. A few steps later, Lanize warned, “You are not welcome at our party tonight. But Paula, you are. I or Anne will take you home when you’re ready.”

Venora swayed her upper body mumbling, “Why do some people hate the truth.”

Paula’s silence called out to her and she continued criticizing, “Some friend you are. You are supposed to support me on this.”

“Good friends don’t support their friends when they decide to be stupid. But then,” she gave Venora full eye contact, “everyone has a right to be stupid!”

“When did telling the truth become something foolish?” she fought back.

“When we don’t use our message with common sense.”

“You don’t think they act brainless most of the time?”

“Why do you think they enjoy my company?” Paula asked fighting to keep her anger below the surface.

Shrugging her shoulders, she shared, “You are kind.”

“No,” Paula informs. “I don’t judge or criticize them or anyone else.”

“Even when they are stupid? Friends who care about you will tell you the truth,” she explained.

“And you are right,” Paula agreed. “But it’s how the truth is presented that makes it effective.”

“So, you are saying I don’t know how to give the truth?”

Paula, bit on her lower lip for a few seconds, sending the frustration back, then shared, “Do you realize that I am the only one in your life right now who doesn’t try to avoid you when your mother and most of your family stay away from you.”

Her brows shot up, then furled as she eased back into her life. Then in realization, she asked, “Why don’t you try to avoid me like the rest?”

“Because I believe everyone has a right to be themselves, even if they are dopey!”

“What are you saying?” her rage demands.

“Some of the smartest humans in our world were the most half-witted. I don’t have a problem with mindless people. But I do have a problem with the ones who never learn from their moronic abilities. I have a problem with the ones who stay stupid.”

After a brief silence, she said, “How do you tolerate all of us?”

“When we allow everyone to be themselves without fear, judgment, or criticism, they will reveal the truth about themselves without being aware. If they are comfortable around you, they will pour their hearts out telling you things about themselves they will tell no one. They will value your opinion and listen to you too.”

“That’s how you got Anne to stand up for herself against Troy’s abuse?”

“Our brains are programmed to reject the ones criticizing us even if they mean well. How the message is delivered is vital. I don’t put Anne down. I don’t interfere and only give advice when asked.”

“But you are friends, it doesn’t bother you to know what they are doing is wrong?”

“Wrong for whom? You can’t tell people how to live their lives!” Paula exclaimed in shock.

She nods, “It’s just hard for me to see friends being idiotic and saying nothing,” she relents.

“I can say the worst things in the nicest way and get the desired result. While you say the nicest things in the worst way and can lose your head,” Paula explained remembering the many times she had to be a mediator.

She sighed, then releases, “I guess I am not good at delivering messages. How do you do it?”

“I take the time to know the people in my life. Good and bad are in everyone. Most people want the good only,” Paula explains, raising her hand to signal the waitress.

“Nobody with sense wants bad,” she fired back.

“I call it balance. Good and bad exist for a reason.”

“I don’t like the reasons,” Venora complained as the waitress approached.

After taking their order, Paula eased closer across the table, then said, “I learn from them. You see, evil must exist for us to know and appreciate the value of good. And also know the difference. Then knowing the difference we can see its consequences, learn from it, and make better decisions.”

“Damn!” Venora cried out grabbing the attention of several patrons nearby enjoying their lunch. “So, hatred teaches you about the value of love, like cruelty teaches you the value of kindness?”

With a smile, Paula reached over and squeezed her right hand saying, “Our world sits on good and bad. Knowing them and learning from both give us the power to make sensible decisions.”

Venora sighed long and hard and said, “So all of us must learn from life making stupid decisions first?”

“Life isn’t as hard as many of us make it if we can understand what life is and how to live it.”

“The best things in life are the hardest to hold on to,” Venora remarks.

“It depends on how you live. Your attitude pushes everyone away from you.”

“And yours pulls them to you,” Venora said in realization.

“Like is said, life isn’t as hard as many humans make it out to be. It’s how we live and treat others that makes it easy or hard,” Paula relates.

“What happens when hard is the only way you know how to live?” she said regretfully as the waiter approached with their meal.

After the waitress leaves, Paula counsels, “You are the only one feeling your pain. So, your life is your decision and your decision is your life.”

“Yeah,” she said, staring at the meal of Chicken Marsala Pasta, using her fork to stir it. Then said looking up at Paula, “I am as senseless as they are, am I not?”

“As I said, I don’t have a problem with naïve or not-so-smart people, just the ones who refuse to learn even with all of the pain life shares from their actions, choices, and decisions,” Paula educates.

When my daughter criticized me, I told her I had a right to be stupid because that’s how I learned to be smart. I am aware that it’s not wise or sane to stay silly.

Some of the smartest humans in our world were the stupidest.

Stupidity teaches important life lessons, being smart don’t know. It’s the only route to get to sensibility — Annelise Lords

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.