There has been a women there twice this week with her daughter whom I have seen in here before under the same scenario. I recognize her from "the neighborhood." It is after the time school starts and the women is neurotically placing some complex order for the two of them, nervously adding or calling out some directive. All the while, the little girl is getting more agitated and whining. My take is that she is late for school and seems to be nervous about that fact. I had to restrain myself from asking the mother today "didn't school start already?"
I know this could open a can of crazy on me so I decide to go back to the sane place in my brain that restrains my mouth. It is difficult, but I make it there grudgingly. My other idea is that I will go to the school where the mother is hauling this poor kid each day and give them a heads up on the child being upset and perhaps they could give the mom a gentle talking-to. Of course, I realize how this sounds to you - it sounds the same to me. So I tell myself to let it go, the child does not appear to be in danger and it's up to the school to deal with it. This is all before I've had my coffee after all.
Moving onward or actually working backwards. I was in Starbucks over the weekend and there were three, how shall I say...dimwits in front of me waiting for their order. They are two women and one man (using all terms rather loosely) and the man is posturing for all he is worth for the...women.
"Hey, how long is it since he started?" he crows.
Little Miss Paris Hilton wannabe looks at her cell "four minutes."
"That's too long, they owe us a drink." he calls out.
Behind the counter is a guy who is trying to focus on the matter at hand. In that moment, I think "what if he has learning difficulties - ADD, I don't know" and smile encouragingly his way.
"Yours is the latte?"
"Yes" I respond.
"It's coming right after this." he adds, a bit harried.
"No problem." I say and mean it because it isn't.
The obnoxious trio has moved on to something else. He finishes their order and I get mine. It becomes clear that perhaps I should just stay out of coffee houses.
What is the world coming to? Rudeness abounds, but I must say that I did find this billboard funny so what does that say about me?
Warning: foul language ahead. At first I read the addition as part of the billboard.
9 comments:
I think it says you have a good sense of humor. It is not polite to tell random strangers to be polite--hence your own restraint.
The rudeness of "normal" people completely astounds me. True, I have my own moments, unfortunately more often than even in the past, but they are still not usually betrayed "on the outside"... usually I manage to keep my more obnoxious comments to myself. The unfiltered behaviour which I witness during one lonely day just amazes and horrifies me. Sorry you weren't able to let loose like all the others around you, but hey, on the other hand thank God for small miracles.
I do like your sign ECS!
I think reluctance to help is the holiest of all the virtues and the reason angels sing.
I like the billboard, too. It makes me wonder if Dick Cheney is so out of the loop he's taken up graffiti.
Weirsdo, I guess my reading Miss Manners' column has paid off.
Terry, we'll just blame yours on something like "hormones" and excuse it :) We'll just award these people the daily "bozo award" and move on, WCS.
Doug, I can see Dick now with is can of black paint.
and to add to your first sentiment..."the reason police have jobs."
Buying in public? Try working in public. That billboard phrase is what I want to say everyday.
Vincent thanks you, he is one cute kitty. ;)
Ran across your site while blog hoppin` ... hello again.
Where oh where did you see this sign??
Speedy
Whatever it says about you, I'm that too. That sign is hilarious. Having worked retail in my (long ago) youth, I always am polite to cashiers, clerks and baristas. They're just trying to get by. I feel pained and sad when I get a cashier at Walmart or a grocery bagger at the market who is really old. I hope they're just working for something to do and not cuz they have to.
Most of the time we want to help, we only make things worse.
I love the billboard!
Brian, I feel your pain. I'm sure it's not easy on many a day.
Vincent is adorable - he's the same coloring as our pup, Louie. ^..^
Hi Speedy and thanks for dropping by. Maybe I should have made that clear that it wasn't my photo. I wish that I did actually see this but I found it somewhere on the Internet. If I had found it, I would have had to pose with it :)
Claire, I agree on all fronts. It's not easy dealing with the public I imagine as I too have had such jobs. That's why people scrawl such things on billboards :)
Ariel, quite true. The billboard is pretty funny. I'm not sure where it's from as I found it somewhere on the Internet.
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