Labor Day....Poolside

Like others here in my adopted country, I donned my bathing costume and dawdled poolside over the weekend, acknowledging summer's last hurrah. After her grandmother explained my work, this girl wondered if I'd like to see the array of sunglasses she carries in her canvas tote. These sparkly ones struck me as a guilt-free way to offset recession blues--only $5 she told me from a place called Rugged Wearhouse.

Then my conscience began to plague me: how could one call cheap plastic sunglasses guilt-free? Perhaps they were made in China by oppressed workers. Perhaps they are destined, once discarded, to languish in a landfill for eternity. Perhaps those sparklies will fall off and spell certain death for globally endangered birds.

All this I pondered aloud, to which the young lady said, "I don't want to offend you sir, but you really should lighten up."