Why do people have to be so petty!It is so much easier to be nice, to smile, to open the door for someone else, to stop and let a car get in front of you in heavy traffic, to give someone the shopping cart and you grab the next one.
I'm not the nicest, most polite person in the world, nope...that honor belongs to my sister who has the biggest heart and the nicest smile. Me...I have to try because most of the time I am pretty self absorbed, but I do try.
Today after work, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some baked chicken drumsticks because I have been craving them all day and I love the ones that WinCo Grocery Store bakes in their Deli Department, they are huge and seasoned to perfection.
I'm in my car looking for a parking space. The parking lot is such that there is a row of parked cars to my right and to my left and instead of being parked at an angle, they are parked straight across from each other, something like this.
So I'm heading north and another car is heading south and we come to the space shown above that I've labeled "My Space". I put on my turn signal, even though it's a parking lot letting them know I am going to take the parking space. I did this because I saw there was another space exactly across, I didn't just try to steal the space, even though we both got there first and I had the right to the parking since they would have had to cross in front of me to use it. So I park and they park in the space across from me.
We both exit our cars at the same time and I smile at them and say, "I wasn't trying to steal the parking spot, I knew there was another one right across for you." And the woman says, "Then why didn't YOU take it?" And still being nice I say, "I didn't want to cross in front of you so I figured it would be easier for us each to take the space on our side." And she said, "Oh yeah, well isn't that just a great excuse", then she turns her back to me and walks off and her husband muttered something and they laughed and I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, "What did you say?"
That ruined my whole shopping experience and made me sad. That a complete stranger would be rude and ugly to another complete stranger over a stupid parking spot! Why do people have to be ugly to each other? I just don't get it!
You did the right thing, bite your tongue, and let it go. We as a society have become a little too hair trigger, and it is too easy for things to spiral out of control. To hell with it, leave it go.
ReplyDeleteThey had no more right to the parking place than you did, and you were polite. They chose to act like asses. So that is on them not you.
There are always going to be somebody who is rude. Fact of life, don't put yourself in danger by confronting them. If they are that rude, you are not going to change them anyhow. Don't give people like that the power to ruin your day or your shopping trip. Life is too short...don't sweat the small things.
Why do people have to be ugly? Because 1) they are entitled in their mind, 2) we as species are not designed to live among strangers. We should live in small villages where everyone knows everyone else. If they knew you, do you think that they would have been rude? No, they would have laughed over your little parking lot impromptu. We have advanced, no body tried to kill each other like we may have done 10,000 years ago when strangers encountered one another. But don't push your luck.
Forget them. When you get mad and relive these encounters in your mind, you are their proxy for hurting you. Forgive and forget...it is one of the most selfish things we can do. Take the power away from those who wish to hurt you. Even on little things like a parking place.
If that don't work...there is always the F word. But say it to yourself.
You are right! That's why I didn't say anything because I've seen too many times these things escalate and they were two and I was one. But even if say my sister had been with me, I wouldn't have made a scene.
DeleteThere was anger, but mostly there is hurt. You feel violated because you wonder "why me", do I look like a victim, do I look weak, do I seem the kind of person you can take advantage of. But I know those are only my insecurities and you are correct, I need to take the power away from those that wish to hurt me. Well said my friend!
Excellent advise. Better there be one A$$ rather than 2.
DeleteHey WorryWart...thanks and when are you going to be starting your own blog?
DeleteAlicia, I know exactly how you feel. That lady was very rude. A similar experience happened to me on my birthday when I was on Vacation a year and a half ago. I even apologized and put a smile on my face and still the lady had to mumble and grumble and it set the tone for the rest of the day. I think it hurt my feelings more than anything because I was trying to be so nice. There are definitely some people who are just plain mean.
ReplyDeleteYes! You understand exactly how I felt. I was so hurt and on the verge of tears and why? Because I was nice to them only expecting niceness and politeness back! People! Is it any wonder we prefer dogs :)
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