Don't tell me stories, Don't tell me dogs.

The only Chris' I have in my phone are the professional ones. Very, very funny...

Tonight I had two conversations, quite dissimilar, but involving the same theme.
That theme was: "I know more than I am going to let you know I know. And I will make you feel good because I am keeping my mouth shut." Those discussions were about acting, and canine behavior.

Now, I don't susspect I am an expert on either subject, but I hate to talk about either, just based on the fact that they are both so close to me. I have this elementary feeling that if you talk too much about something you care about, others will try to take it away from you with their debased understanding of it. Almost everyone in this city is, or was, an "actor". And almost more people think they understand dog psychology and breed behavior because they knew a couple of people with pit bulls, and they hung around some shiba inus, or puggles, or irish wolf hounds. Those people don't know anything. And that I can tell you for almost certain. Well, most people don't know anything, and that can be said for almost certain. But by the end of the evening I was close to appaled at how long I had sat silent in more than one conversation when, in both instances, I knew so much more about what was being said than the one who was lecturing me.

But what could I do? I hate argument, conflict, and I really hate proving to wrong people that they are wrong. So, on some really immoral level I guess I just wanted them to feel like they were doing something great so that the whole conversation wasn't a bust. Because arguing doesn't get you anything, except maybe a win. But when you're arguing with people who never get wins, you just get the glory of making someone feel badly--again. And that is no glory.

So I sucked up everything I know, twice in one night, to avoid argument, and let someone feel good. But I almost feel like that's wrong. Should I have been honest about how much I know? Would that have been the right thing? Even if it was proving someone wrong? Someone who seems rarely to be right? That doesn't seem just. But here I am. I know nothing of "justness".

And you know, I would never bring it up, but it's come up many more than once, that I will either have to admit what I know, or hide it. And I hide it to protect people. But then, how am I protecting myself? Should I just be honest? No one will, but someone tell me. I hate arguing people. But I also hate being condescended to.

So don't tell me about telling stories. And don't tell me about dogs. I know those things. Unless you specialize in them, ask us to have a conversation; don't ever plan to have a condesntion; a lesson. I've had my lessons, and I'll have the rest my own way....