Falling Down

So lately I've realized more than ever that I am bombarded on a near-daily basis with rude, selfish, inconsiderate, completely self-centered people. Even in casual encounters. I guess maybe it's a comment on our society. I'm trying hard not to believe it's a comment on our collective parenting skills, but I often find myself thinking, "Did your momma raise you that way?" Because I certainly know mine did not. Personal relationships gone recently and psychotically haywire aside, I see this in my daily life with people I don't even know.

For instance, this morning I was pulling into a 7-11 to grab some coffee before class. I do this every once in a while, especially when I know it's going to be a long day. The convenient store was crowded, and when I pulled in there was one parking spot available for people who weren't getting gas. Since the parking lot and gas pumps were crowded, I slowly made my way to the row of parking spaces so as not to hit anybody who might pop out from behind any of the twenty cars in the lot at that moment. And just as I turn my wheel to pull into the parking space, a huge truck speeds right in front of me and pulls in. I stop my car at the nearest gas pump, get out, and follow the guy to the door. Miracle of all miracles, he slowed down enough to hold the door open and didn't let it slam shut in my face like I fully expected him too. So as he was standing there holding the door open for me, I said, "Wow. Well at least you have enough sense to hold the door open..." He just kinda looked at me and I walked off.

P didn't like it when I told him I said this. He's afraid I'm gonna get shot in Dallas. I can handle myself. I've been up to my eyeballs lately in people who think about nothing but themselves and are very obvious about it, and I'm not just sitting around watching it happen anymore. I feel like Michael Douglas in Falling Down. Seriously, I'm that mentally fragile about people and their petty, selfish BS at this point.

I'll try not to start shooting. Seriously. :)

Anyway, so despite all my angst and frustration with rude people today, I had a nice little encounter at the end of my day that renewed my faith in humanity. Our grocery shopping options are extremely limited in our new neighborhood. We have the huge walmart (which I've loathed for years and years) and two walmart neighborhood markets, neither of which have impressed me in the least bit. We also have a Tom Thumb about a mile up the road that is very nice, but a little bit more pricey than the walmarts. And today I figured out why.

I walked into the Tom Thumb just to pick up a few groceries and supplies for the weekend. I had no less than three workers come up to me and ask me if they could help me find something. I wasn't standing around trying to seek someone out. They spotted me. THREE of them and asked me what I was shopping for so they could help me. Then once I gathered my items and went to the register to check out, the checker scanned my card and said, "How are you today Ms. Cochran? Is there anything else you needed that maybe you couldn't find and I could help you with?" I told him no, I was fine. I got everything I needed. And then the lady bagging my groceries chimed in, "Isn't this great weather, Ms. Cochran? Do you live close?" And I was just baffled that these random people at the grocery store cared enough to call me by my name and interact with me as a person. And it was at that moment I decided, walmart can keep their snotty-nosed kids, and their dirty stores, and their rude customers, and their over-worked and underpaid employees, and their slightly cheaper prices. I'll pay the extra five bucks for some kindness and courtesy in my grocery shopping experience.

And I'd probably give most people in general five bucks to remember the manners their mommas taught them and actually use them once in a while.

So in this world of it's all about me and how I feel and what I think about you and what I have to say and where I need to be right now and I don't care what you've got going on, thank you Tom Thumb. Thank you for renewing my faith in humanity. And thank you for the extra sharp cheddar. Dinner was awesome, and it tasted just a little bit better because of you. :)