I read somewhere, some time ago, that when you are young your mind is broad and your waist is narrow and that as you get older, your mind gets narrower and your waist gets broader.
This may explain why things bug me now that did not before. Tell me, do these things bug you as much as they bug me?
Such as, have you noticed how people, especially those picking up bread from Weekes Bakery in Savan, think it is quite OK to just stop in the middle of the road, get out and leave their car running? I guess you could tell me I should just take another route to work, but why should I?
Such as, why as I slowly make my way through the "Express" line, why are others with more than the allowable limit on items allowed to further slow down the line? The cashiers do not seem to care; they allow it. The managers seem even less interested; they look the other way.
Such as, have you tried to get service and the person ignores you as they wait for the punchline on a talk show or finish what appears to be a personal conversation on the telephone? Is it that they think I have nothing better to do than wait? Are there no owners or managers who curtail that sort of thing?
Such as, I have not been privileged to enter a Post Office on the island when it has a short line. Yet on TV on CNN last weekend I saw interviews with postal employees in empty post offices (yes, I did). Is it that we frequent ours more heavily?
Such as, are all breakfast eateries that are frequented by taxi drivers required to have high noise levels? Is it that taxi drivers, including those at the airport, speak in louder tones than everyone else, or is it my imagination?
Tell me, is it impossible for our people to form a line in McDonald's? Is it possible for Banco Popular or Wendy's to tell them where to get those fancy rope lines?
Tell me, is it that some men must urinate at least once daily in a public arena? I daily see one man near my job who waters the grass every day without concern. Is it only I or are there others who find this unacceptable?
Tell me, who are all these people who must use obscene language of the strongest, loudest, vilest kind? Where did they come from all of a sudden? I do not recall hearing this years ago.
Tell me, why do people go to the movie theater and talk all the time? Why do they bring babies who cry? They have made me a Blockbuster fanatic, but I prefer the movie house. Will the new movie house be different, the one with 10 theaters? Perhaps they can show one movie each in two theaters and label one for quiet people and the other for noisy ones. This would still give us two more theaters than we are accustomed to.
What about toilets in female bathrooms? My mother taught me to ply the seat with paper before I sat. It seems like lots of others were not taught this technique and use methods that results in wet seats (and wet floors) for those who come after them…uck!!!
There are a few others:
— like people walking into church during a prayer by the minister or priest. Can't they wait for a more appropriate time?
— like cars that speed by me on the road and I later meet them at the stoplight; are they intent on death?
— like wait staff at one of those hotel/restaurant meals honoring someone or the other; must they refill the water glasses (with chunky, icy water) during the speeches or a solo rendition?
— like trucks with airhorns that blow them forever around corners; can't they just stay on their side of the road and drive slower?
— like people calling my house (wrong number) and first asking who is this?
— like people who cut in front of me in the line without asking because they only have one item; are they so "special"?
I am not sure why I wrote this piece, but these are things that bug me and maybe, just maybe, I wanted to get them off my chest without paying a therapist. Please, if you do any of these things, just stop it right away and give me peace of mind.
Editor's note: Catherine L. Mills of St. Thomas, a former Human Services commissioner, holds a master's degree in social work. You can send comments to her on the articles she writes or topics you would like to see addressed at source@viaccess.net.
