For the most part, I go with the flow. I’m an introvert, but I’m not shy. I’m not anti-people, but I will say that many people confuse me. However, I’m fairly accepting of people in all generations, races, and ethnicities. I actually try not to label anyone and give people the benefit of the doubt – to a damn fault. Since I’ve had more time on my hands, I’ve had way more time to observe basic human behavior lately. It’s amazing, regardless of color, age, etc., there are so many rude ass people out there.

Here are just a few examples of what I’ve witnessed this week.

Rude Young Non-Gentleman on Cell Phone in Coffee Shop – The other morning I stopped to get a bagel and coffee. As I waited for my order to be ready, a younger guy was on his cell phone as he was ordering, and he was trying to shove his credit card at the cashier as he yapped on the phone and he hadn’t even completed the order. It was one of those do-it-yourself swipe machines, but he just kept trying to give it to her because he wasn’t paying attention. The cashier was trying to instruct him to pay on the key pad swiper thing, but he was too “busy” on his phone to have basic human manners to 1) acknowledge her as a person, or 2) pay attention to how to pay properly. After his order was complete, I was getting a lid for my coffee, and he blindly cut me off. It would’ve been a damn shame if I spilled my coffee on him.

Demanding Lady at the Garden Center – I went to buy some flowers yesterday and it was a mad house. People were so laser focused on their own little world and didn’t have a care in the world for any other human in their path. As I was trying to select the best flat of petunias, this lady was buzzing around huffing and puffing about hooks and her ferns and how is she gonna get this to her car?? She then very directly (and rudely) asked (aka demanded) one of the workers to grab some of her ferns and follow her to her car. He quickly obliged, and she couldn’t have been more ungrateful. Manners lady, manners.

Impatient Older Couple in Hardware Store Parking Lot – I went to buy a garden hose with my two kids today. Sounds like a simple task, right? Well, when miss 9-year old Sassy Face Diva Pants is in tow along with 2-year old I-Do-It-Myself Homeboy, it’s no longer a simple trip through a busy Saturday afternoon crowd. I did it though, mission accomplished.

I get to my car in the parking lot. My daughter gets in the car on her own. I throw the 100-foot garden hose on the ground next to my car so that I wouldn’t let go of my little guy’s hand. I scoop him up to put him in his car seat (in the back on the driver’s side), and I see a older lady staring at me out of the corner of my eye in the parked car directly next to me. I start to move a little faster, not sure if there’s someone in their driver’s seat waiting to back out.

Obviously you shouldn’t back out of a parking spot right next to a momma bear that is trying to safely buckle up her little cub, right?

Wrong!

Impatient ASS white-haired wrinkly man starts backing out of the parking spot right next to me with only like a 2-inch clearance from my open door where I’m leaned over, trying to diligently buckle my flailing toddler into his car seat. As I see the jerk’s car backing out, I kicked my hose under my car so that he wouldn’t run it over. Like seriously, your impatient rude ass couldn’t wait ONE MORE MINUTE!!!!! I glared at him and his very white-haired wrinkly wife and he WAVED at me. No, don’t wave at me. You didn’t do anything that deserves a wave. I started flailing my hands around and yelling at them to be patient people in the middle of the parking lot, and they drove away without a care in the world.

Today, this week, forever – I’ve had it with bad manners. I learned that my tolerance of rude ass behavior is deteriorating. This week’s bad behavior episodes have further reinforced my commitment to be nice and patient, unless otherwise provoked and then I’m going to squawk at you and flap my wings around until I feel better about it.

Stifle Me Not