In the immortal word of Admiral Akbar, "It's a chat trap!"
They will begin to ask you questions a therapist would feel uncomfortable asking. They will tell you about their family members in a manner that would lead you to believe you did ask how her sister Mary's recent foot surgery went. These folks have not a clue you are not interested in chatting politely no matter what diversions you may create. Oh is that my cell ringing? My baby needs a diaper change, I just lost my hearing *points to ears, smiles and shugs* They are relentless and often elderly so they have all the time in the world to chat *as any customer service person can attest*. Now that I have a small person with me at all times, the conversation typically goes as follows;"Aren't you the cutest wittle thing ever?" says a random woman in line with a creepy baby-talk voice
"....." stares Liv
"Say thank you" Liz says after persistant cray cray looks from stranger
"You want to come home with me?" stranger insists
"....." Liv looks at me, frightened
"ha, ha no?" Liz turns around and tries to looks distracted but fails as the hot mess in front of us has just spilled the entire contents of her purse
"Who is the crazy lady talking to me? HAHAH!" says stranger while trying to grab Olivia's hand
"hee, hee, help" Liz nervously shifts Olivia to her furthest hip away from crazy self-admitted child abductor stranger
"So when are you going to have another baby?" the complete stranger asks, almost in the same breath as the last sentence while still trying to grab my child's arm
"Oh, she's an only child" gasps Liz realizing she has made a fatal mistake
"OH NO! you must have 5 more, you're young and healthy, this one wants lots of brothers and sisters to play with or she'll be lonely!" proclaims this woman who appears to be childless and most likely sleeps with her entire beanie baby collection.
"Oh look, I'm next...nice chatting with you" relieved Liz says pushing past the hot mess who is trying to rip tape with her teeth
"You better give that adorable baby a sibling!" loudly demands woman-who-knows-best while telling the clerk how she grew up during the depression in a one bedroom house with 9 brothers and sisters
**The funny thing is, as much as I detest chit chatting in line, I often desire to chit chat with the clerks. I have been going to the same post office for the last 6 years and I have never reached any level of conversation other than how are you today? and declining the tracking or insurance on my package. It must be a combination of being a proud In & Out-ter and my poor chit chatting skills. Antz very rarely goes to the post office but when he does he already knows the clerks by name and has had entire conversations about new businesses opening in our neighborhood. I'm totally jealous! There's usually a ratio of In & Outs to Hot Messes to Chit Chatters of 3:7:12 *this is an approximation*
Let me conclude my rant with jaywalkers. Due to my lovely Mother-in-law living on the other side of town, I find myself driving through downtown Los Angeles about 8 times a week. D-town LA used to be a scary place filled with dilapidated buildings and the majority of the homeless population setting up camp in an area loving called Skid Row. Somehow in this economy, downtown is flourishing with lofts being renovated everywhere, new trendy restaurants and the streets now filled with hipsters walking their dogs at midnight *why do the people who live in the least grassy area in all of Los Angeles have the most dogs?* Needless to say, D-town has become safer but now has become rampant with jaywalkers. I drive down a large 6 lane one way street for most of my journey and I feel like I'm in a live version of the Simpsons Hit & Run video game. I am constantly hitting my brakes or swerving out of the way of a person walking in the middle of a green light or in the middle of the street. The funny thing is, as I almost crash into a pole to avoid these menaces, I see hundreds of cop cars driving besides me that do absolutely nothing. I understand, the police in LA have better things to do then write jaywalking tickets but my niece Evelyn got ticket for running a stop sign while riding her bike!! Unbelievable, Evelyn was riding on the sidewalk and still got a $300 ticket for not stopping at a stop sign in a residential neighborhood at 8:30 in the morning with no one in sight. Can you imagine riding your bike and having to stop at every stop sign? Yet I have witnessed a homeless guy beat the hood of a car in front of mine while spitting at the driver in the middle of the street while the light was green for 10 minutes. The injustice enrages me. I, by no means have road rage *whenever I drive Aimee and Antz always yell at me for not honking bad drivers* but it's my belief that my car's horn is too soft to sound intimidating. I also harness all my rage in my silent judging of the hot messes I watch at the post office so I'm totally zen when I drive but jaywalking...I go nuts! What makes the homeless population think that their best form of rebellion *to THE MAN* is to disobey traffic laws? They are the slowest walkers and they tend to have 3 shopping carts full of God knows what *just broke every PC law there, didn't I?* or is dragging some poor dog tied with an extension cord. *Am I the only one who thinks if you are homeless, it may be a poor choice to own a pet?* Oh well, the irony is the city where Antz works is notorious for cops writing jaywalking tickets. Luckily he's never gotten one but he hardly ever jaywalks either. I'm forced to jaywalk whenever I visit Aimee in Venice but I never ever do it when a car is in sight and I have never made a car have to stop so I can cross the street, I find that so rude.
In conclusion,
I had one of those days where I hate all people so I feel it necessary to share with you lovelies. Any pet peeves you wanna get off your chest? Comment below. I need a good laugh.
Your Queen of Contradictions
2 comments:
Post offices are soooo headache enducing! I usually just settle for the automated thing up at the front. Luckly I havent run into bad people at a post office..but maybe I just show up too early for the crazies.
:) Driving in Houston is a lot like driving out in California. Everyone feels so entitled to drive without a blinker (biggest pet peeve! Ugh!), speed up beside you to get in front of you, and generally be asses of themselves.
Cops out here arent any better..they're never around when they really should be around.
whew......I read all that in one breath. I know you don't like people today but all....of that was hilarious. I'm Sorry but thank you for sharing.
My pet peeve this week is Walmart and everything about it's customers.
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