[Leica] What do real patriots do?

[walt at waltjohnson.com (Walt Johnson)]

I was sitting outside the local hospital today waiting for my wife to 
get off work. She doesn't punch a clock so the time spent waiting can 
vary from 15 sec. to an hour. I pass the waiting by reading or  
observing the environment or fiddling around with my 50-year-old M3. I 
don't waste any film for several reasons but one is the place is private 
property and I'm not inclined to violate their privacy.
A woman pulls up next to my parking space, gets out of her car and 
walked into the bldg. I barely noticed her until she returned about 30 
minutes later with what I presumed was her husband. Still sitting and 
waiting, they were non-existent  until the guy sticks his head in my 
window and says "what are you takin pictures for?"  He was abrupt and I 
promptly replied in an equally abrupt manner "I wasn't takin pictures, 
why would I want to take pictures here?"  He informed me "you might be a 
pervert" and I promptly replied "so might you"  "I don't have a camera 
and I'm not takin pictures" he said  It went on a bit longer and he 
informed me the police were on the way. I promised to be sitting there 
with my knees squeezed together to prevent unwanted urination from fear. 
(of course there were no police)

I thought of many cool things to say afterward. Why would any 
self-respecting pervert want to photograph a woman as homely as his 
wife?.Hell, if I could be as witty beforehand as after the fact in these 
situations I'd make it to Saturday Night Live. ;-)

If there is a moral to this convoluted tale it might be "real perverts 
take pictures". 37 years in photojournalism has taught me many lessons 
but to my credit I'm still learning. It's been constant and unending, 
inevitable and relentless and it will only end when I toss my Leica or 
go to ground.

Walt