Only in Indiana? Maybe not...

I had a really odd encounter today.  Faith and I went out to spread some goodwill. Actually, I was just the driver; Faith does all the spreading.

We had to visit the local Credit Union because the ladies that are tellers adore Faith.
Even the manager loves it when I bring Faith in; she begs to see her.  So even though banking was unnecessary, we went in and she got passed from one teller to another.  Faith is so patient, bless her.

Then we went to the local gas station where I tend to get LARGE unsweetened iced teas.  I haven't had one in weeks due to the weather but wanted one today.  I'd stopped in earlier and Erica said, "Where is that dog?"  So I went back home and got her.
I love living a mile from any place I need to be! (Except the Cancer Center, of course.)

I was waiting for Erica to be finished waiting on customers.  I noticed a man at the ATM.  He had a fiberglass prosthetic arm.  I went up to him and said, "Excuse me sir, but is that supposed to be camo (as in hunting camouflage)?"  He answered that it was but that he'd had it only for a short time and it was fading.
The prostheses went from above the elbow; he had no hand.  He had a claw for picking up things.  I told him it looked like camo to me.
At this time he reached up, took the "arm" off, and then pushed it into Erica's face and said, "Look!  My tissue is bleeding into this thing!  That shouldn't be happening."

All I could do was pray he didn't thrust it into my face; I don't think I would have handled it well.  I assume Erica has seen worse things, working at a gas station???

He then said, "My previous one lasted 10 years----you'd think this one would be good at $17,000!" to which I commented that things aren't made as well now as they used to be.
He then said, "Look, if you'd just bought a car for $17,000 and drove two blocks down the street and it started leaking, you wouldn't be happy, would you??" to which I responded "Certainly not!"
He then turned to the Pepsi guy (who drives the Pepsi truck and delivers to the gas station) and asked the same thing.  The Pepsi Guy didn't miss a beat and said, "Of course not."
The Camo Man then went merrily on his way.  Erica and I looked at each other and shook our heads in amazement.

I tell this story because of the aftermath.  I mentioned it on the phone to a friend in California and she said "Oh, I would have just walked away, and not talked to the man."
I told her it was ME that started the conversation!!  Besides, he seemed like he needed to talk....and Hoosiers (though he had to be from southern Indiana, or from the south) are FRIENDLY folk. 
Daily encounters like this are what make up the spice of life in the Midwest, you know?