Neither of us were really paying attention and that’s why we almost bumped into each other in Walmart.

“Oh, pardon me, ma’am,” I said, and stepped back. She replied, “Oh, no, pardon me,” and we stepped in different directions.

In just a minute or so, we found ourselves on an aisle together again. She came around the corner and said, “And there you are again.”

“Yes, ma’am, I guess I could have followed you,” I replied, and thus began our in-depth discussion on the need for and efficacy of various pest control methods.

Not that we were considering each other pests, but we were each shopping for something to get rid of bugs or rodents.

“I didn’t even know I had ’em,” the lady said.

She told me she’d never actually seen any fuzzy little rodent-like entities running around her domicile, but she’d seen evidence that they’d been there. Little bits of paper and “other evidence” found in the bottom of drawers could not belie their presence. So she got rid of everything she thought might attract mice to see if that would work.

But then the ultimate insult came.

“I left my sucker sitting out,” she said, “and that thing ate on my sucker.”

Duh-dah-dum!

“That was it, when it ate my sucker,” she said.

Now that thing had to die.

We all reach that point of no return sometime, when we’ve had enough. We’re tired of ignoring the signs even if we haven’t glimpsed the real problem yet. We’ve taken a few steps, maybe, but not enough.

We’ve gotten to the moment when that “thing” has gotten our goat.

Uh, sucker.

It really is the point of no return. Or, as the rock supergroup of yesteryear entitled Kansas put it, the “point of know return” — it’s when the lights have come on and you’ve seen the truth with your own two eyes.

What has been seen cannot be unseen.

Ignoring problems does not make them disappear or fade slowly out of existence. I’ve tried often enough to know what a failing method this is of dealing with things.

Car broken down? Let it sit for a few days and it’ll be miraculously repaired.

Messy house, overflowing trash can or sink full of dirty dishes? Let the clutter remain, along with those unwashed clothes, and it will go away, again miraculously.

Unpaid bills? Un-addressed medical issues? Problems at work, with a spouse, a child, parent, or other relationship? Just ignore it! This works wonders.

You know I’m not serious, because you know this does not work. About the only time this does work is with dental problems: Ignore your teeth and they’ll go away.

But it won’t be painless and it won’t be pretty.

I’m not a “confrontational” person normally. I could be a millionaire and still have a measure of anxiety when it comes to paying my cell phone bill.

But I have learned that speaking the truth in love, addressing issues head-on and not trying to avoid difficulty ultimately makes life a much smoother and more enjoyable ride. It’s what we need to do as individuals, and what our government needs to do, too.

Let’s don’t dance around issues, but address them as needed. Government should put the needs of the whole ahead of the needs of individuals. Individuals need to look after themselves and one another.

Don’t be selfish, but be smart. If someone needs help, help them. Don’t wait for someone else to do it. If something needs to be done to prevent harm, do it. Live life right.

Don’t let that thing get your sucker.

Brett Campbell can be reached at brett.campbell@dailyleader.com or 601-265-5307.