As Americans we have a sense of personal space. It’s a big country after all, so what’s the deal in the grocery store!? That person in line behind you that keeps creeping into your personal space while you’re trying to load your grocery bags in your cart and pay your bill. There they are, bumping into you with their cart, or standing right by your side as you try to write your check! Yes, I’m a dinosaur…writing a check, not swiping my debit card.
That’s not the only place it happens. Traffic lights! South Florida has it’s share of traffic, but it’s not the only place I have witnessed this. Pretty much any large city, but rural towns have their own version. In rural town it’s the guy behind you at a traffic light who is just an inch, maybe two away from tapping your bumper. He’s revving his engine. Instead of looking at the light you’re checking your rear view mirror, so you don’t notice that the light has turned green. He uses that exact moment to honk his horn. “Lady, let’s go!” In the city it’s a little more dumbfounding. The horn honking begins before the light turns green. That’s what I said, the light is still red! This happened while I was riding with my daughter one evening. What?! The light is red! Stopping is not a suggestion! This is not Rome! As soon as it turned green the driver zoomed around us, as if we were the most idiotic drivers she had ever encountered, cut back in front of us and came to an abrupt halt at the next red light. Now the shoe was on the other foot. What to do? What to do? I know what I wanted to do! We didn’t, which left me unsatisfied, but the cool head of logic isn’t always satisfying.
Don’t you wonder what’s going through their head? I would love to see one of those cartoon bubbles above their head with their thoughts so I could maybe get it. Life may be funny, but it’s not a cartoon. I’m left baffled. For now I have managed not to shout out a snarky remark to the person bumping me with their cart, or standing behind me while I write my check. I don’t sit idle for an extra couple of seconds when the light turns green just to make a point, but “Warning!”, at any moment I may go Incredible Hulk all over them! They have it coming!
Dudes and Dudettes!!! Back up and take a chill pill! It’s arrogant to believe the world revolves around you. You are not the center of the universe, and as hard as it is to believe, you are not the most important person in it. I know that sounds overblown, but I was actually stepped on once by a man behind me in line. I know I’m short, but I’m far from invisible.
Get outside yourself. Smile at others. Take a breath. We’ll all get there.
i completely agree. Well said!!!! But, you realize that there are so many “very important” people in this world.
A good friend of ours was just about killed with her two young daughters in their car this weekend on the I-17, by “that” driver. A Driver who was so unhappy with her driving that they sped around her and then in front of her. She had to slam on her brakes to avoid hitting him, she lost control and ended up going head on into oncoming traffic. Praise God no one was coming, but she almost rolled.
It comes down to caring about someone other than yourself… And speaking from someone who’s around lots of children, it’s not getting better, parents aren’t teaching that.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading my post and for your comment. I believe we can all relate to this and it’s a reminder for all of us that we live a world that is much bigger than our own needs. I am very sorry to hear about your friend, but very glad that she & her children were okay. All because somebody forgot they must share the world with others.