The Day I Learned That Gauges Were Bad.

Back when I was in Phoenix, I used to volunteer in Legislator Ben Miranda's office doing many sorts of office work, and sometimes making calls. One of my good friends Grecia, found out about this very long and time consuming incredible scholarship. Needless to say, the scholarship application required two letters of recommendation, one from a school official and one from someone else. Ben was a big help during the process, just like in any other thing you'd ask him to help you with. He made an strategy for Grecia and I, and we felt very confident about our recommendations, since most of them were from Ben's contact list, except for someone--a Republican.

Ben told us that he was going to ask Repub. Jim Weiers to write a letter of recommendation for us, but this obviously meant we had to meet with Mr. Weiers. I was scared as fuck, not only because he was one of Ben's personal contacts so we had to make a good impression, but also because he was a Republican. I was worried about what to wear, since I did not want to come off as a "trouble maker." So I went with a JFK sort of look (in my mind, it was VERY JFK). So Monday comes, and Grecia & I are beyond nervous. We get to the Capitol, pass through security, go to Weiers' office and greet him. I sat pretty much in front of him, while Grecia sat on the opposite side (next to him). He asked me what I wanted to do, and why.

I remember giving him a very cliche explanation, something like this "I want to do Industrial Design." and he asked why, and this is where it gets cliche. I said something like "Well, I want to go into Industrial/Urban design to better cities like Phoenix. I believe that people don't really appreciate something where there is so much potential to expand and overall, better the communities. Make the city prettier, I believe that if you like the city where you live, you will take care of it better and I believe that will better peoples' live in the long run." (via Miss USA)

He went on talking about how good Grecia and I were doing by applying to this scholarship, and told us an anecdote. I don't remember all the words but it went like this:

"You know, it's good that you guys look like decent of-good-moral young adults. You know, you guys actually look like a girl and a guy. One time, I went to CVS and there were this couple just about your same age. The "guy" had crazy hair, painted all different colors, which even made wonder if he was a guy, anyways the girl looked very different from you Grecia. They both had this huge piercings/earrings on their ears (gauges) and just piercings everywhere. So i get out of the store and they say "Cooool ride, dude" and i asked them if they knew what kind of car it was, and they both said no, so i told them it was a (some vintage Volkswagen car, whose name I can't remember) and they asked me how I got a car like that and how i was able to afford it so I told them I worked for the government and asked them if they knew anything about it. They didn't know how House, Congress, etc worked and it made me wonder about all the education cuts, and if we were really doing the right thing since these people did not know anything about their country, much less their education."

Then he asked me if I thought the education cuts were something they had to do, and I said no, and he asked me why. I said something along "Well, because it has this domino effect. I think that everyone depends on that budget, specially schools like the one I went to. I don't think they should cut the Educational budget, I think they should get rid of other budgets." then he stopped me and said "When you talk to someone, you need to look at them in the eyes. Look at me, because that means you are talking to me." And I started blushing and stuttering more than ever. After another short conversation, we shook his hand, thanked him and left.

On the way back to the office, I started to think about those times when I wanted to get gauges (before every Lil Wayner and lesbians got em) and how much i wanted to get a tattoo, color my hair, etc. and what he would've thought about me if he would've seen me that way, then I mentally thanked my parents for not letting me get all those things. I realized how much impact my appearance has in my future and the people I will meet and probably need something from. I wonder if he would've actually offered his help if I had gone through the gauges or "scene" era, or if he would've just rejected me. And that's the day I learned that Gauges were bad.

Currently Listening To: "White Moon" by Beach House.