Never Talk Politics at Work

As I walked through the lunch room at work the other day, returning to my desk with a can of Coke, a co-worker who was finishing up her lunch stopped me.

"I just finished reading the best Molly Ivins column," she said, gushing, "she's such a great writer!"

I was in a pretty good mood, so I didn't want to get into the vagaries of Molly Ivins, particularly with someone I see every day. "She is a good writer," I agreed. Should have walked away right then. But I went on, "I don't agree with a word she says, but she writes well."

Uh-oh. My co-worker looked aghast. "Surely," she said, "you can't consider voting for Bush after what he has done."

"Well I certainly couldn't vote for John Kerry." That was apparently the last straw.

"BUT BUSH LIED," she shrieked. "About weapons?" I asked. "OF COURSE! HE LIED AND TOOK US TO WAR!" Here it was, pure undiluted Bush hatred in full fury.

"Well," I said still calm in the face of flailing arms and flying spittle, "I think if he had really lied he would have been smart enough to plant some weapons to find. To me, the fact that very little was found is proof that the President didn't lie."

Last I saw her, she was running up the stairs, unwilling to discuss it anymore.

Later that day, I sent her an email quoting Bill Clinton on the eve of Operation Desert Fox and outlining the extensive military strikes involved in that effort I asked if she objected to Bush's war based on his tactics or his success. Never received a response. I'll need to remember to tiptoe past that desk in the future.