T-Minus One Week

The engine sputters, attempting to fail on the last few days of the old job.

Staying true to myself is paramount.

Never have I worked so hard in my life for so little, but that is all about to change.

For those who really get a KICK out of driving...

Wear this T-Shirt and get invited to the local Immigration Rights March

Yes, its a skate t-shirt. Bought it at the mall for 15 bucks.

However...

This did not stop several of the kids on campus from giving me "the look" today while smirking and gesturing. I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on until one of our students who is in MeCHA commented on the shirt and asked if I was going to the march downtown later.

Say QUE?

I suddenly realized that my otherwise harmless skate t-shirt contained several graphics resembling 1) the United Farm Workers of America on the front and 2) an angry eagle (?) on the back that curiously matched the eagle depicted in the MeCHA student movement logo.

Of course, it didn't help that there is a Mexican Serape slapped across the back of the t-shirt as well (see above graphic).

Not sure whether to be embarrassed or proud, I quickly countered with the, "do you mean the United Farm Workers' march?" question rather than stay quiet.

"No," replied the cute MeCHA student, "the IMMIGRATION RIGHTS march at Milam Park. We're all going. We'll park at the downtown campus and walk from there - it's the easiest way."

Now I've done some crazy shit in my life, but the thought of last year's march in LA suddenly sprang to mind, with that weirdly textbook line of riot cops beating the shit out of the straggling protesters...

With a bit of humility, and deference to the many generations before me who had endured some ugly shit in the name of the American Dream, I explained how my t-shirt represented nothing other than a skateboard company... but there WAS a huge serape on the back and I have no idea why.

Was it possible that the Independent Skateboard Truck Company was a surreptitious advocate of Mexican American Immigrant Rights? Could they be INSINUATING something? Was there an ulterior motive or message in an otherwise Suburban Blanderica Skate Tee?!?

Not sure, even as of this writing, but for a moment I felt I belonged to a vibe other than the one they advocate on TV.

UVAS NO, CABRONES!