Dick Squared
Joelle said at some point on September 4, 2008
Last night, my friend mikey came over to watch Project Runway with me and we ran out to grab some takeout before it started. We stopped at Rite Aid to pick up some beverages and Rocky Road before heading back to watch Heidi Klum walk around being gorgeous.
The line at this Rite Aid is always slow and for some reason, people always form one big line instead of lining up at each register (there are eight registers), then the next checker that is available takes the next customer. Well, last night, there was an Asian dude in front of us holding two bottles of wine, a crotchety guy in a yellow shirt holding a box of Tucks or something, this Isaac Hayes (R.I.P.)-type guy (who we saw tip his hat at someone earlier — I love that), and then 3 registers with customers already being helped.
One cashier finished and called out, “I’ll take the next person!” and Crotchety Yellow Shirt and his hemorrhoid pads tried to dash out behind Isaac Hayes Guy, but Isaac Hayes Guy was no fool and he cut Crotchety off, taking his rightful place at the counter. Crotchety grumbled and griped, but shuffled back into line, ahead of the Asian Wine Drinker. While this was going on, a strapping middle-aged, tank-top wearing homosexual (not that his sexuality is relevant, but it paints a picture and I happened to be in the gayborhood) with a cart full of ammonia bottles and paper towels pulls up in line behind us.
Asian Wine Drinker keeps looking around the store, turning around and looking past us, past Ammonia Mo, all over the place. But before I could ponder what he was looking for, Isaac Hayes Guy was finishing his transaction.
This is where I kind of lost my cool.
One of my biggest pet peeves in this world is people who “cut”. I hate when I’m stuck behind someone in traffic with my signal blinking, desperate to find an opening in the next lane so I can dash out and pass the slowpoke in front of me. That’s bad enough, but what really chafes is the jerk immediately behind you that takes your window of opportunity, leaving you in the dust. The same principle applies to queuing at the store.
As soon as the cashier called the next person, Ammonia Mo without any regard for common decency, maneuvered his cart out of the line and darted over to the open cashier while the rest of us stood there with untreated butt issues, unopened wine, and melting ice cream.
My mouth fell open. I loudly said to mikey and Asian Wine Guy, “Oh, I’m sorry! Were you first? I didn’t notice you...” I continued to bitch loud enough for the guy to hear me. But he didn’t care. That’s the part that just blows me away. Yes, it’s rude to cut in line, but at least act like you feel bad about it. At least Crotchety Yellow Shirt grudgingly went back into line. I mean, you don’t even care that people in line think you’re a complete and utter douchebag? He just kept loading his bottles of ammonia up on the counter, looking stoically straight ahead. He knew he was a jerk, but he. didn’t. care. I realize that I, like many humans, care too much what people think on occasion, but this is ridiculous. This is an affront on common courtesy, on societal decency… and frankly, it’s just plain dick.
Once a few years ago, I scolded at a guy in a home improvement store because we’d all been waiting an aeon in a line and a guy walked up to the line just as a new register was being opened. And then there was the time I shamed Diaper Debbie in front a whole Sprint store. I am beyond over this kind of rudeness and I’m not afraid to call someone out on their assholery.
I was about to do just that (much to mike’s chagrin, I’m sure), but before I could, Ammonia Mo started loading his stuff back in his cart. I thought that for once the establishment was going to act on behalf of it’s customers and tell the guy to wait his turn, but no… he’d forgotten his wallet. Just desserts, I guess.
My parents, even in the short time I had with them, instilled me with manners, respect for others, understanding that the whole world doesn’t revolve around me (despite what I thought when I was 15) and the knowledge that there are just some things that you don’t do. It’s just a given. I can’t believe I saw this kind of rudeness twice in one night, in one line within a matter of minutes! What the hell is wrong with people?
Moxie Design Studios™
from West Palm Beach, FL • Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
I think everyone needs a kindergarten refresher course in this world. Seriously. I am surprised you didn’t start fling shit off the shoves at him.
*disposable razors*
from West Palm Beach, FL • Cocktail: Champagne Bellini
um… that should say “flinging shit off the shelves”. Yeah.
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@Kathy: speaking of disposable razors, you left yours here. Want me to mail them?
My daughter and I just had this same kind of experience checking out at a U-Scan line at our grocery superstore last night! There were about 6 people in line, and when we joined the line a nice young man said we could go in front of him since we had just one item. Of course, I also think my cute 15-yr old daughter might have inspired his generosity as well…
We waited as each person ahead of us took the next available lane when suddenly, as it was our turn, a dude from nowhere just rammed his cart right in front of us to the U-Scan machine. He kept his eyes low and straight ahead, (I’m sure to avoid the nasty looks all of us were giving him) and started to reach into his cart to start his transaction.
I walked over and said, “Excuse me, sir, there’s a line...” and gestured toward the people who were patiently waiting behind us. He ignored me the first time and started to put his items on the belt, so I stepped right up to him and repeated myself louder… He kinda glanced back, said “oh really?” rather quietly and walked to the end of the line.
It was so obvious he was trying to pretend he hadn’t noticed the line, but I wasn’t buying it. I hope the U-Scan machine declined his debit card, rude bastard.
from Northern NY • Cocktail: Harvey Wallbanger
It’s as if manners and common courtesy aren’t taught at all. No one pays attention to anyone anymore and they don’t care. They congregate in the middle of the aisle and gab, refusing to move - forcing you to go down the next aisle just to get to the other end of the one they are in, they pull in front of you as you are headed to the registers, they leave their shopping cart in the parking space NEXT to the corral (because they just couldn’t make that last 3 feet? What?! I don’t get it). And don’t get me started on how people don’t care that you are backing out of your parking space - they just walk behind you not giving a shit…
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@DJ: you totally just described my experience at Target just now. There was this woman with headphones on, just waddling down the middle of the aisle, meandering even, staring at the shelves, not paying one damn bit of attention that her cart was blocking the way, *she* was blocking the way. I waited for her to move (I only had a little carry-basket), then I inched next to her cart, expecting her to move it out the way once she noticed. I finally walked right up to her… right up to her and she still didn’t turn her head to look at me. How do you not know someone is less than 6 inches from you!? MOVE. :sigh:
Cocktail: Amaretto Stone Sour
I’m such a wuss that I don’t confront people directly, and I know I really should sometimes instead of internalizing it. I do make loud comments though. When I’m with the girls and we would get cut off I would say stuff like: “Careful girls, that lady MUST get in front of us. She is obviously far more important than other people and simply cannot lower herself to wait her turn. “ It usually earns me a “fuck you” look but rarely makes them move. It does entertain those in line though.
(And before anyone says I’m sending the wrong signal to the kids, they KNOW I’m not serious.)
from Up your butt
You know, the walking behind your car as you’re backing out of a parking space thing really just grinds my coffee. Sometimes, I fantasize mowing them down, but then reality sets in and I remember that I really don’t want to share a cell with a woman who is more butch than me and calls me ‘baby’.
Oh, I have come to enjoy calling people out on shit like that. I can be quite loud (actually impossible-to-ignore type of loud), and I’m not afraid to let the physical intimidation kick in too. It’s not being a bully, it’s *enforcing* the rules by which civilized society functions.
from Cleveland, OH
I’ve been known to say, rather loudly, “Gee, it sure must be NICE to live in your OWN WORLD, where everything revolves around YOU. Wish *I* could be so lucky!”
I, too, cannot stand this degradation of civilized society. Each time I’m out in public, I experience or witness at least one of these maddening acts and I usually have to hold the reins in close, lest I receive a smack-down in public for what I just said.
I think the general public could benefit from a “Back to Basics” course in basic human interaction / morals / how to behave / how NOT to behave. *sigh*
from Canada
I’m Canadian. Someone cuts me off, I feel guilty and say “Sorry”.
That being said, when I saw a carfull of teenagers (and I know them, because I teach them, so I know they’re not handicapped) pull into a handicapped spot at the grocery store this morning, I stopped in front of them and gave them such a look, that they got back in their car and moved it.
from San Diego, CA • Cocktail: slightly dirty Grey Goose martini
@Louise: *applause*
from Okieville
Yeah, once I was the next in line at 7-11, and we were waiting while the kid on the register counted his change or something. Anyway, a few minutes passed; he was still counting. Apparently, he finished counting but didn’t say, “OKAY, I’M READY!” or “NEXT PERSON!” because, well, I just stood there, staring at him, not knowing if he was done or not. Then this beeyotch behind me just walked in front of me to the register.
“ExCUSE me,” I said.
She spun around with the nastiest look ever on her face and said, “Well you were just gonna stand there spacing out all day!”
I replied, “You know what? The cashier never announced he was ready to help a customer. But obviously, your time is more important than mine. Go right ahead.”
And then she muttered an obscenity under her breath, and I replied sweetly, “I heard you, and that’s really cute. Have a blessed day.” (That’s my go-to response when people are assholes--that, or “God bless you"--because, really, what are they going to say back? “NO, FUCK GOD BLESSING ME!”? Yeah no.)
GAH! I was LIVID!