Civil Rights

I work in an office that ensures the fulfillment of people's civil rights.  I work with a lot of people who have been victims of discrimination because of their skin color or disability or accent.

I also spend a lot of time participating in conversations punctuated with, "It's okay, I can say that.  I work for civil rights."

This was one such conversation:

Colleague:  "I don't think I'd want a guide dog.  Or any non-human guide really.  I mean, I love my cat, but I don't want her to lead me to WalMart."

In my head:

As our conversation meandered onto other topics, we got to talking about compost worms.  (Yes, I am a hippie, and I compost in my backyard.)  I was extolling the virtues of worms and their ability to divide and  reproduce to a sustainable level in proportion to the food available.  Sharing my wonder, she cried, "Maybe worms should be the guides!"

In case you can't tell, that's a guide worm.

The conversation continued away from this topic, thankfully, to a discussion of minority communities.  In a final moment of truly fine political correctness, she ejaculated, "I just don't get some communities.  Like, for example..."  With a furtive glance to see if anyone was listening, she stage-whispered, "Deaf people!"

I'm not really sure what her point was going to be, as I dissolved into paroxysms of laughter at her great care to make sure that the deaf weren't listening to her comment.