"Not Blind Like Stevie Wonder"

Can one scrap of writing provide insight into a stranger's soul? Maybe.

In early 1992, I saw the following classified ad in Kansai Time Out, the English-language magazine of metro Osaka. The only reason I still have it is because I had an article in the same issue.

"I am an ex-NASA Computer Electronic Systems Test Engineer," the ad began. "In 1971 I was taken on board a UFO, and many strange experiences including 'out of body' and 'time travel' have happen [sic] to me. I want to make friends with a Japanese girl who has had similar experiences or who is not afraid to talk about this kind of thing. I have a message to bring to the Japanese people. Can somebody please help me? I am an American born in Utah. Please write..."

Draw your own conclusions about that fellow, though I hope he found a girl of similar cast of mind. In any case, dashing off a bit of soul-baring verbage is easier these days. Just put it in the comment section.

One jumped out at me yesterday. Semiliterate, completely wrong in its facts, borderline unhinged and including a gratuitous use of a blind singer's name. What more can you ask of a comment-section posting on a financial news web site? You can say that I take false comfort in feeling superior to such posters, which is why I point them out. And you'd be right about the feeling superior part, though it isn't much comfort.

The only change I've made is to remove the company name, which is that of a retail property landlord. Everything else, including punctuation, is exactly as I found it yesterday.

"Since march lows the shares of ______ have gone up 300% .Who will convince me this is not a fake stock .Eversince march lows ,commercial real estate has lost a substantial vallue .Even if the stock has remained the same I would have been doubtful ,but to go 300% UP, GIVE ME A BREAK!! People who a not blind like Stevie Wonder can not be fooled arround cause they see the empty malls and commercial plazas .So this only could be artifficially prompted like the banks are -a total manipulation ,or the accountants are defrauding the public ! The whole system became a FRAUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"