OPINIONS
Spending a
So what?
Art Poley
The events of the day happened
around us, cascading around and
down like the shiny green leaves of a
weeping beach. We started out hav
ing brunch on the veranda of a coloni
al mansion in Fairmount Park and
ended up eating ice cream and
waffles downtown in a funky little
shop at an hour close to midnight.
Although the convertible in which we
rode ran on unleaded gasoline, our
day was fueled by dreams and desir
es.
‘ ll / 6 (4(IIL
•
It was Sunday and I was home for
the weekend. I had spent all week
convincing myself that I would be
able to study for a midterm and to
write a column at home "No prob
lem, I work well on the dining room
table" and when Sunday morning
intruded on my Saturday night
slumber I found myself going with
my mother to meet her boyfriend
Arthur, and his daughter Linda at a
place called Valley Green for brunch.
Being the manic student that I am,
I guiltily went to brunch, looking
forward to the company, but quite
anxious about the exam that I had to
take at noon the next day.
Brunch was a delicious two cheese
omelet on a veranda in the middle of
Fairmount Park, the largest park
within a city in the world (Philadel
phia isn't all bad!). Aside from the
bees and the spacey waiter we had a
Sunday the
great time. As we ate, we watched
other people enjoy the park and the
beautiful weather running, play
ing, walking, or horseback riding
through the park.
The sight of people horseback rid
ing gave us the idea which escorted
us along the next leg of our journey.
"Linda's friend Joan owns a stable in
the park, wouldn't it be fun to go
riding?"
Well, riding is one of my passions, I
rode all through high school but
haven't been able to since I've been at
school. The thought of studying for
my exam or writing my column paled
in comparison to horseback riding on
a picture-perfect day with people
whom I don't get to see too often.
Leaving the restaurant, we spent
the next hour ooing and aahing at
country mansions nestled in the syl
van wonderland of Fairmount. My
mother saw the house of her dreams.
I asked some construction workers
whether or not a metal veranda trel
lis was going to be kept on the house
they were remodeling (it didn't
match the new decor at all ).
After randomly roaming the area
in this fashion for enough time ( never
enough) we finally ended up at the
stable. As it turned out I didn't get to
ride, but it was nice to see the horses
anyway. At the stable was what Joan
called "her perfect tree." If one could
isolate a candle flame and put it in a
forest one would find that they had
this tree. Brilliant yellow, it was the
physical image of autumn.
Next Arthur suggested that we go
in town "the Art Museum or a
movie perhaps?" —and my exam
found itself losing out to "Art Nou
veau" and to "Madam Sousatzka," a
new British film with Shirley Mac-
La ine.
The rest of the day fantastically
followed suit.
What can I say but that becoming
best way
buddies with a drunken museum
guard, )"Don't touch that!"), taking
pictures on the regal steps of the
museum, watching other people tak
ing pictures of themselves with Ar
thur's nifty convertible, - Just
getting to see it is thanks enough"),
watching a peace protester do aero
bic flag dancing in an Uncle Sam hat
and kaleidoscope colors, drinking
Mimosas and eating cashews in the
Four Seasons Hotel, buying hats for
everyone on South Street, ( Hats in the
Belfry), and getting a leftover flower
arrangement ( Birds of Paradise in
her nose) from some fancy affair at
the Warrick Hotel, makes for a spec
tacular day.
I actually managed to get the test
out of my mind for most of the day. I
planned to leave home early enough
Monday morning so as to have
around an hour in which to prepare,
The column, on the other hand,
happened to me along the way. And
here I sit, Monday afternoon at four
o'clock writing, the column is due by
five. I have never done this before,
manic me usually has them written,
at least in rough draft, two days
ahead of time.
The midterm was pretty awful. But
what I got out of yesterday makes up
for the grade that I'll get because of it
(Wow! is this really me?). I realized
yesterday that all I own in life is the
moment. And although I shall never
stop planning for the future of re
membering the past, I shall take
more time out to wander through
parks on beautiful fall days, and to
eat waffles and ice cream with people
whom I love. After all, day and
dream begin with the same letter.... I
can still taste the bitter tangy sweet
ness of the Mimosa upon my lips.
Nomi Buch is a junior majoring in
English and is a columnist for The
Daily Collegian.
READER OPINION
Missed point
I appreciated the 0ct.17 Collegian
editorial on fighting ignorance about
AIDS but I believe a key point was
missed. The HIV virus causing AIDS
can have a latency period of seven or
more years. Therefore, a fifteen
year-old may be sexually active but
not develop a full-blown AIDS case
until the age of twenty-two.
We college students demand imme
diacy with everything: money, food,
rewards and pleasures including
sex. In our own ignorance we expect
immediate deaths from AIDS. We are
not seeing them so we are not fright
ened. We need to fear the unseen.
AIDS is still a death sentence. "Safe
sex" can't cure it. The thin mem
brane we entrust our lives to never
promised to prevent it. The drugs we
have only prolong life, and the "just
say no" philosophy requires too much
selflessness and too much self-con
trol.
Take a look to the left and the right.
Say good-bye now and do not wait for
a homecoming celebration. There
may not be one.
Natalie Botdorf
senior-microbiology
Russia
Russia! What comes to mind when
you hear this word? Most likely, you
instinctively associate it with other
words like "enemy," "Commies" or
"cold."
Unfortunately, that mentality still
pervades American society. It is an
ignorant view of a country who is
truly not our enemy. Contrary to
popular belief, Russians don't spend
their entire days plotting and conspir
ing against the United States.
Presumably, college students are
the "hope" of a society. They are the
ones who will eventually guide the
country into the future. I am dis
turbed to have heard such ignorance
and prejudice in their discussion
about "The Evil Empire," our arch
enemy. I am no expert on the topic
but I wish to voice my opinions based
upon what I do know.
Only some 45 years ago, our coun
tries were allies, fighting against a
common enemy. After World War 11,
America returned to a prosperous
period of industry and world domi
nance. Although the United States
lost 392,000 soldiers in the fighting, we
got off comparatively easy. Above
all, the United States was the only
country in the world to hold nuclear
capacities hurray for us ). Russia, on
the other hand, took a severe beating
in the war. They lost over 13 million
soldiers, civilians were killed, their
cities lay in ruin, families were shat
tered, and the economy was crippled.
What was the best thing they could
have done? Turned to Democracy
and Capitalism ... or bonded together
to rebuild their country under Com
munism/Socialism?
Unfortunately, the United States
could not accept their decision for
Socialism/Communism. It was the
right choice for them, but not for us.
Since then, Americans have been
"conditioned" to fear and distrust
anything communist or Russian.
In the post-World War II period,
people were understandably wary
and untrusting of others. Today, we
can no longer afford such ignorance.
We are both at a standoff ... and what
is the best solution to a standoff???
No, not to beat each other into the
ground, but instead to reach a peace
ful accord of acceptance and under
standing.
The Daily Collegian Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1988-
In this highly modernized and chan
ging world, attitudes and values
change rapidly. It imparts no benefit
to either party to play such a power
game. For the Russians, they would
much rather be spending billions of
[rubles] on domestic causes rather
than on defense from the United
States.
Similarly, the United States must
reduce military spending and begin
to look inward at our declining nation.
Russia is now at a turning point.
Hopefully, the changes of glasnost
will bring about a better life for the
Russian people. Americans should
welcome and encourage this change
for the better. It is ignorant, though,
to consider the Soviet's decision to
"open up" as a victory on our part.
We have not "won the Cold War." The
Soviets are beginning to thaw them
selves out of the Cold War mentality,
but we remain stuck.
Though we see it as a great step for
the Russians to incorporate the
"American Way" in their society, we
are steadfast in refusing to accept
socialism in our culture. In my opin
ion, a modern society would best
benefit with a healthy combination of
the two ideologies.
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Daniel Prestayko
freshman-science