William Petro

"Joe Cynik": Don't Get Me Started William Petro

Joe Cynikowski is a fifty-five-year old cynical, Republican conservative who is an investigator for the U. S. Navy. He meets thirty-year-old Frank Goodman, a liberal Jewish post graduate student in a Tempe, Arizona bar. Frank is trying to write a thesis for his doctorate degree in philosophy and has chosen "Cynicism" as his topic. Frank and Joe begin bantering about the current social climate in America and they discuss the views of conservatives, liberals, and the effects of media slants. Frank convinces a reluctant Joe to ride along with him on his business trip to continue the discussion. During the trip, they rescue a battered woman from her violent husband and with the help of the Border Patrol, they save a young Mexican illegal immigrant whose parents have been kidnapped by Mexican coyote slavers. The story contains severe criticisms by Joe about the ethical and moral decay in America, and discusses bigotry, racism, and religion. Joe explains the reasons for his cynicism and Frank counters with a liberal, more positive view. They team up together to do a few good deeds by helping those in distress and hope that their actions will make things better in some small way. It is a story with a powerful message. Certain passages might offend some readers, even though they tend toward moral conclusions.