Not long ago I saw a survey that said people are more outspoken than they used to be.

So last month — accompanied by a recorder, my friend George and his dog Gopher — we conducted our very own poll.

Completely at Random (Random is a street near our house), we asked ten people “Are folks more outspoken today than they were ten years ago?” Here’s what they said: One little boy answered: “How should I know? I‘m only eight.”

A man in a funny hat said, “Absolutely…and so are the residents of my planet.”

One lady told me I would look better if I trimmed my eyebrows. I had trimmed them that morning.

Two guys asked me where I worked, and if there was an opening.

One woman tried to buy the dog, but changed her mind when George wouldn’t take a credit card.

A young couple locked in passionate embrace didn’t hear our question. Nor did they hear the policeman who ordered them to “turn down the heat.”

And one guy asked the dog’s name. When we told him Gopher, he said “Stupid name for a dog.”

We concluded with a phone survey. Again at Random – where I get a good cell signal — I called ten numbers. Four said “yes,” five hung up on me, and one psychic boldly predicted our survey would fail.

Is that rude, or what?