The story of my day.

"May I speak to ---- ------, please?"

"May I tell him who's calling?

"--- -------."

"Hold a moment, please."

(long, long pause)

"I'm sorry, ---- isn't available. Would you like his voice mail?"

No, dear, I would not like his voice mail. I called to talk to him. Just like I called to talk to six other motorscooters at various companies with which, one way or another, I do business. A couple, I called twice.

And I would have very much appreciated hearing from at least one of them today.

Just as I would have appreciated replies to the unanswered emails I've sent out since last Friday. Some, granted, were simple enquiries that I can live without answers to if necessary, though I'd like to have them. And then there was the crucial one....

Oh, I did get emails today. In response to heartfelt emails from me, my two Senators -- the wacked-out liberal and the wacked-out ultra-liberal -- sent me statements that were beyond laughable. Both pushed the needle on the b.s. meter into the red zone. One, who never met an illegal alien she didn't like -- or a moderate or conservative idea she does like, tried to shore up her nonexistent border-security credentails.

The other, author of the infamous "Orange Card" amnesty plan that got laughed out of the Senate today, assured me she's very concerned about the impact of illegal immigration; in fact, she is speaking out strongly against tunnels under the border.

Instead of lying, why not tell the truth and send a reply along the lines of "I know you, and most other Californians, are tired of paying billions in expenses caused by illegal immigration and are tired of watching wages being lowered, jobs lost and hospitals and schools being pushed into chaos, but I don't give a damn! Learn Spanish fast, sucker!

I can respect a straightforward fool much more than a lying fool.

This evening, hoping against hope that a vital call might come through, I violated normal policy and picked up the phone even when the caller ID said it was from a blocked number. That got me five calls soliciting my vote on various issues in the upcoming state election. None of which represented the way I will vote....

So it's been that kind of day.

A dead loss.

Why is this man not smiling?