Forgetting that school is out and adults are probably still on vacation, my lovely pregnant wife and I ventured out into the snow to get groceries. Yes, my wife should have stayed at home, but she feels that a grocery list is not enough to keep me on the straight and narrow and plus, she’s getting a little cabin fever and I just don’t like sleeping with Jack Nicholson, if you get my drift.
So, we make the drive up to Highland Village where the Wal-mart is never crowded and people are a might bit friendlier.
Boy! Was that a mistake!
I can rant all day about drivers. I’ve often thought of putting a video camera in my truck to document the idiocy of the roadways, but then, everyone has heard them all. But today, it just seemed to be worse.
For starters, we pulled into our favorites little food place and it looked like the Keystone Cops had invaded the parking lot. Almost got run over by two people on cell phones, vying for the same spot. Then, after making my second lap, had to pull into a spot at an odd angle and before I had time to correct, I had an SUV up my behind blaring on the horn because I wasn’t moving fast enough.
Parking lot wasn’t the worst of it. Take those same drivers, put them on their cell phones and let them loose in a giant box store with metal carts. You don’t have the protection of a car frame here! And the added insult is that there are no words uttered. No “excuse me”, “pardon me”, “coming around on your right”, or even “Hey! Get the hell out of the way!” I could’ve handled that last one, at least they acknowledged me.
I have to constantly tell myself, “They are not bad people. They are just not paying attention.” It’s become a mantra with me. It’s also a real shame that I even have to do that. The more society expands and the closer we live with each other the more we ignore the other person. No consideration, no “thank you”, and no acknowledgement when I extend courtesies to them. At the retail job where I work, I find it rude to greet someone and only get a grunt in return. How hard is your life that you can’t afford me a simple hello?
So, there’s my rant! I feel better. Thanks for letting me share. How do you cope? Or, are you one of THOSE people, and if so, why?
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas and moving toward a most Happy New Year!