Story time:
Last night I went to a Mexican restaurant in a sorta middle / working class neighborhood. That’s where the good Mexican food is. Sat at the bar next to some random guy who was evidently a regular. Older dude, gray beard, gray pony tail, baseball cap, gnarly hands, well-worn t-shirt & shorts. We’re yakking; he’s a very personable sort, age 70, married 50 years, has 5 cats, 2 dogs, generally a sunny friendly personality. Worked construction then home handyman before retiring. Salt of the earth and generous with friends. The kind of guy you’d like to have as a next door neighbor.
Two drinks and one dinner later we’re still yakking happily as somebody else walks in and sits on the other side of this guy. Evidently another regular & friend of his. Also retired, more clean-cut, looks like he probably wore a tie most of his working life. His accent is pure NJ-came-to-FL-15-years-ago. We have a lot of that around here. Again a pleasant and friendly sort as the conversation smoothly grows to include him too.
A few minutes in NJ says to pony-tail: “How 'bout that election?” Pony-tail bumps fists with NJ and says “Yeah, we saved the country.” “We sure did.” says NJ. I say nothing.
The conversation moves on to other matters, then eventually it’s time to pay and go.
They both are going to be very surprised at what they have wrought. All I could think of was a quote I don’t recall the source of about “the sheer banality of evil.”