Posted on 11/09/2013 9:03:10 AM PST by Gamecock
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Ever since 81-year-old Mae Hodges bought a used Volvo, “strange-looking people” have been approaching her around town to pay compliments.
“They tell me, ‘Thank you for being a pioneer in our movement,’” Hodges says. “I have no idea what they mean.”
The flow of appreciation began after she started driving the nondescript Volvo wagon, which bears several bumper stickers. One sticker shows a multi-colored flag, another a pink equal sign, both of which Hodges found “very cheery.”
“I left them on the car because the bright colors remind me of my flower garden,” she says. “Bill used to love flowers.”
Hodges now receives a hero’s welcome from complete strangers, but does not know why. One man recently hugged her in the parking lot and said that if a woman her age was willing to stand up for equality then he was going to tell all his colleagues and friends the truth about himself.
“I just wished him well and off he went,” Hodges says, shaking her head.
Many who congratulate her have an “unusual appearance,” she says.
“It’s the oddest thing — I can’t tell if they are men or women,” Hodges says. “Maybe I’m losing my sight. Some look like women with men’s haircuts, and some look like boys trying to be girls.”
Occasionally, a well-wisher asks Hodges to give regards to her partner. Hodges expresses surprise that people would guess that she still plays bridge.
“They’re so sweet about it,” she says. “I tell them I certainly will wish Betty well, and that we’ve been at it for twenty years through ups and downs. The biggest part is staying committed.”
Hodges figures well-wishers are drawn to her choice of a Volvo wagon and think she is promoting a better environment or automobile safety.
“They always thank me for promoting equality,” she says. “Maybe there’s a resurgence of patriotism these days. That’s very encouraging.”
A lady and her husband used to van pool with me and she wanted a rainbow sticker for their car "cause it was cute". When he told her what it meant, she changed her mind very quickly.
Shame it doesn’t also have an altered sticker showing a four-legged fish and “Darwin” instead of “Icthus”. The person who dreamed up this farce didn’t exhibit a very fertile imagination.
The lady’s photo they used looks a lot like Betty White....she occasionally plays the role of a ditzy woman who has no idea what’s going on and makes silly double entendre remarks...like THIS gal.
This story strikes me as a lame knockoff of the story of the gullible old woman with the “Honk if you love Jesus” farce that went around the net awhile back.
Last time I saw a car with that many bumper stickers, I pulled along side it, lowered my window and when the other person did the same I told him some complete idiot vandalized their car with all those liberal bumper stickers. I would laugh and drive off.
My sticker says infidel with a big thumbs up sign.
This is a true story:
I was going to a gun show in a large city nearby..a few yrs. ago...In the passenger seat was Rod my giant “once was a marine and still thinks he is” friend of 30 yrs..As we drove down a nasty street on the way...lots of traffic....at about 30 mph .....I noticed a caddy swerving back and forth behind us.....It flew up on Rods “passenger side “ The caddy was new .... had Huge chrome wheels and a large black guy driving it....he had his window down and was half way out of it...... swerving,screaming and waving his arms...... and ......................thats all I saw a glance.............because before Rod could get his window down to figure out what all the yelling was for that caddy just disappeared........I looked in the rear view mirror and there were little car parts rolling in the lane behind me.....as I looked closer I realized that caddy had crashed himself into a parked car!
That guy got so wound up over my sticker...that he crashed.
Anyway I like bumper stickers...I think the freedom they represent is important...as are all forms of honest communication between participants in a society. Maybe random exchange of perspective the most valuable aspect of that communication?
Probably they will be banned soon.
Oh well
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.