I’m becoming convinced that people are the most annoying creatures on earth. Worse than mosquitos, bed bugs, and even fire ants. At least, in terms of annoying behavior. After all, those other critters have brains the size of pin heads. Humans, on the other hand, have large amounts of grey cells in their heads, and yet we so frequently forget to use any of them.
My argument to support this theory begins in the grocery store lots. Most groceries have two sizes of carts (not including electric carts and those big ones with toy trucks attached). Hence, most parking lots have – in their dozens of cart corrals – two metal slots in which to place your cart once done unloading the groceries into your car.
Common sense would tell us to put large carts on one side and smaller carts on the other side. This not only saves wear and tear on the carts, but is helpful to the poor schmucks who have to retrieve those carts during thunderstorms, hail, sleet, and/or snow (all of which can happen on the same day in Ohio, season depending).
One grocery store I frequent even has signs posted at the end of these slots. BIG signs. Signs that say “LARGE” on one side and “SMALL” on the other.
Now I realize that these are words that not every American can read, so I’m willing to overlook a few, occasional mix-ups.
But these events are not occasional. Every single time I go shopping, I have to rearrange carts in the cart corral because some human (or two or three) has put a cart into a slot with a differently–sized cart in front of it. Then many more humans often add carts, willy-nilly, without thought to the size issue.
Every. Single. Time. This annoys me. This annoys me a lot. And only humans exhibit this behavior. You will never find a dog, horse, or firefly engaging in poor cart corralling.
Then there are the humans that exhibit annoying behavior under the guise of “helping” others. Here’s an example:
Earlier this year I received a card with a little plastic card attached that entitles me to a free Junior ice cream (with another purchase) any time all year long. This was a reward for something I did and I was thrilled.
I put the card into my wallet, as it fits perfectly into one of the many credit card slots. The little plastic card could be removed and put on a key ring (it has a little hole for that purpose), but I don’t like things hanging on my key ring. Plus, in order to use it, I’d have to give the clerk at the drive-through window my keys. That would be (no surprise here) annoying.
So, the first time we used it, we ordered the junior ice cream, a regular ice cream and a diet soda. When it was time to pay, I handed the card to the clerk and she said, “Oh, you can take this off the card and get a free ice cream every time you come for a year.” As she spoke, she ripped the little plastic token off the card, then handed it back to me, tossing the bigger card into a trash can.
I sat stunned. I didn’t want it off the card. I wanted it on the card, in my wallet. Miss Helpful Clerk was unaware of my distress and proceeded to charge me $5.42.
“Excuse me, but isn’t the junior ice cream free?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah,” she replied. “I forgot.”
Annoying. My cat is less aggravating, and she’s a wacky thing.
Humans. Yep, we’re just exasperating.
I was going to call you today to tell you I missed your Friday post of a snippett!
Thankfully, I would have called yesterday, but my SLOT was full due to the special holiday in Ohio – but NOT everywhere! Anyway, this was pretty good stuff, as usual!
The only thing I would add to this, based on my annoyances, are the goofs who cannot even get their carts to the rack or even close – and often are put so a decent sized car cannot even get into their SLOTS! Perhaps they know some bikers that are shopping soon??? As a comedian I like named Fred Klett (catch him on you tube) says – he would use a term from England that they use for responding to things said and done – he would just say one word and that would be “brilliant!” that is why the rest of us are the dumb ones – we take care of things decently and in order – actually my life verse lately comes from the bible for that thought, 2 Chronicles 14:40, go ahead, I dare you to look it up! I found it so I could counter the charge that I was OCD! BUT, at least I know how to return a cart to its proper SLOT! SO I guess I am okay and the other folks are the doofus ones!! Love ya!
had a senior moment quoted the wrong verse
should be 1 Corinthians 14.40 but you KNEW that when you could NOT find
a verse 40 in 2 Chronicles – wrong SLOT for that – had the right thought, wrong verse
hate getting older – gotta go take my memory pill – again
Yes, my grandfather stressed heavily, “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place!” If you use something, put it back in the same place you found it! I didn’t realize that was a quote from Ben Franklin. I was also taught if you stay overnight with a friend or relative, leave their house in a better condition than you found it. That carried over into adulthood with me — in businesses, restaurants, etc. If I see an item of clothing on the floor in the Women’s Department, I have to stop and hang it back up. If there is toilet paper on the floor in a restroom, I take another piece of paper, pick it up and flush it. Same with dropped towel paper. They are providing me a service! Probably living without electricity for the first ten years of my life helped me appreciate all these services. I was talking with my sister today about our early childhood. We remember the wooden washing machines you turned with a big wheel and the two washtubs hand-filled with well water setting on a foldup stand for rinsing the clothes. We wouldn’t trade those childhood memories for anything! But it surely makes us thankful and appreciative for the modern conveniences of today. Yes, the rare ice cream cone we got from a relative riding in the rumble seat of the back of his old car. Those were the days!!!
I agree. Humans can be exasperating! I mean… if you dropped that toilet paper on the restroom floor, pick it up! How would you like to use an outhouse with a Sears-Roebuck catalog, glossy pages, for wiping!
Keep writing, Susie! I love it!
hey Bets – great comments – completely forgot about the Sears Roebuck Outhouse pages – what a deal – thanks for reminding us of all the good times we have had in those days and times
Oh, yes, John, we were so blessed to have been brought up in those days. At least that’s the way I feel. Wouldn’t trade them for any other childhood. The first eight years of elementary school, we still had the old outhouses. We used scrap paper out of the trash cans to take with you.
I will never forget the farmers getting together at several different homes, helping each other thresh wheat. The super great meals the wives made and the kids shooing away the flies from long tables of food. Children today miss out on so many good things.
And yet my parents had it so much better than my grandparents who started out living in a shack on a mountainside in West Virginia. Grandma and Grandpa had five children at the time, and Grandma took in boarders. Grandpa worked in the coal mines. They moved to Ohio in 1913 and had five more children. At one time there were parts of three generations living in the same house. I was so blessed to be a part of so many good things!
With my grandparents having ten children, I had tons of cousins. They loved coming to our house, eating good meals, and staying overnight to hear Grandma’s stories. The cousins who are still living call me today and talk about those good times and all those great, great memories!!! And you know John… it really was all about FAMILY!
Bets !!! Amen to family !- it is what I have lived for, for all these 77 years! Nothing like family time at the dinner table – NO PHONES ! NO TV! awesome, sounds like you had a great early life and hope all is well with you and yours today!!
Nope, no phones or TV’s until after I left home. I had a great childhood! Of course things get a little tougher when you become an adult and take on adult responsibilities. My husband and I celebrated our 64th wedding anniversary on June 28. I laughingly tell people, “It wasn’t easy!” And John, it’s not easy! But we love each other and that is the cement that holds it together! Loving the outdoors, working and doing lots of things together is definitely a plus. Not only that, but God knew we were meant for each other. ❤ Thank you, God!
John, we have to get back and address Susie’s problems. First it was human critters! And now raccoons, bugs and worms!!! She needs our help!!!