Swamps, Alligators, and U.S. Health Care

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a customer that I was helping. On the TV behind me, the newscaster was talking about how the government plans on raising funds for research for the health care system. I was going on with the deposit when she very matter-of-factly said, "What a waste of money!" How un-american! I asked the middle aged crow of an accountant what she meant, and this is almost a direct quote of what she said...seriously, I didn't add a thing. Imagine my face as I listen to what this lady was saying.

Note: If this makes sense to you, feel free to explain it to me in the comment box. And then promise me that you will not let your children go through the same public education system that you did. (No Child Left Behind Act. Great idea Bush!)

"My sister had Leukemia, (I'm so sorry). Imagine the body is a forest. All of your cells are like happy squirrels and dears, playing with snow white and making dresses. But when leukemia hits you, your forest turns in to a swamp. And all of the alligators eat the happy critters. And then the hunters try to come and kill the alligators but, there are more alligators, and at this point they grew wings and can fly, and so they have aerial support. They bomb the hunters, and their families and their towns. And then the aliens see them as a threat so they try to come and kill the alligators, but the alligators took the technology from the humans they killed and learned how to combat aliens. So they kill the aliens, and then they live peacefully in their swamp.

"You see, there is no reason why we should spend more money on trying to cure diseases like Leukemia, because we're obviously no match for the alligators. At this point, just imagine how many resources and allies they may have."

I literally did not know what to say. So I just gave her receipt, and said, "Wow. See ya."