An offline conversation

Note: Please read this comment-- No 16 -- by "Anonymous", before you proceed.

[ Whack ! ]

"Ouch! ... Hey, that really hurt! Why did you kick me?"

"I just did my job."

"Who are you?"

"Read my name tag here"

"Is it okay to get closer? You won't kick me again?"

"No, I won't kick you now."

"Hmm ... it says here 'Law of Unintended Consequences'."

"People who know me call me Luc.

Yeah, ... Luc! I remember now. I saw you kicking this other guy, who I thought really deserved it. So I thought you were on *my* side!""

"My job is to go around kicking people when they least expect it. If their opponents think I am helping them, they are deluded."

"At least you could have warned me before, er, ... whacking me!"

"Read my name tag again. Moreover, my job manual has no entry on 'warning'."

"You know, it really hurts!"

"Again, I am just following the orders from my job manual - the kick should be unexpected and painful. It's nothing personal, I do this to everyone."

"Okay, what do I do, now?"

"Learn your lesson, count your blessings and move on."

"I certainly intend to move on, and I think I have learnt my lesson. What blessings are you talking about?"

"There are at least two."

"And, they would be ...?"

"One: this has happened fairly early in your blogging gig. Just imagine: this could have happened after doing many, many posts with links to obnoxious right wing writing on the web. So much so, that your blog may even become a hot zone for those who like that kind of stuff. Heck, it may even be the main page on their browsers!"

"Ugh! I see your point."

"And, your commenters could be exchanging notes about BS and RS and ..."

"Ouch! Enough, please! Say no more!"

"..."

"Phew! That was close, wasn't it! Thanks, Luc! Now, what is the second, um, 'blessing'?"

"The damage so far has been quite limited ..."

"I don't understand..."

"You really need that to be spelt out, don't you? Okay, here it is in plain language: your blog's readership is small!"

"Um, er, ... I guess it is a blessing, under ... the ... circumstances. Sigh! ... Thanks again for your help, Luc."

"Take care!"