2000-06-20 - 21:50 MDT

June 20, 2000

Manners

Methinks we have been infested with a mutant breed of people who deliberately block aisles or walkways to hold world shaking conferences, for blocks of time that make you wonder what they do with the little spare time they have left. Two things happen in the supermarkets, a person and their cart can block an aisle to a fare you well, and you stand there for awhile, waiting knowing that an, "excuse me please," will get a cart jerked back and a glowering, crusty look from the malefactor. On THE OTHER hand, observe the "Shoppers Sweepstakes," distances carefully calculated a shopper emerging from an aisle immediately picks out a shopper they can cut off and beat to the checkout aisle.

In Target, K Mart and many other stores all aisles are conversational harbors. Oh my gosh, the Christmas rush where people will grab popular toys out of each others hands, knee others and elbow them to gain an inch in the crush.

Freeways resemble an ant pile with the top kicked off, cars going every which way at different speeds, the slowpokes in the high speed lane seemingly with the attitude, "I'm doin' th' speed limit 'n' no damn jerk is gonna push me out o' th' way !" You can see the expression on their faces, grim, vicious, jaws clenched - - - their teeth would chop nails. To the other extreme are the people who were late before they started and figure they can make up lost time by speeding, weaving in and out, cutting people off and seem to have the attitude, "Look out world here I come, get outa my way." Many people, whether on foot or afloat in their battleship cars seem to have the perversity of a spoiled child.

So, on city streets as well as freeways I drive with the thought paramount in my mind that everybody on wheels is aimed at me and trying for doubles. Eyes in the back of the head wouldn't help me see what is in my blind spot nor do I have one of those new-fangled Anticipators that aren't released to the public yet. Sooooooooo, Loookouuuuuut !

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