Chivalry is dead, and common courtesy is wheezing its last gasp.
Wednesday, I made my regular trip to The Gas Station Chicken Store. As I was entering, I spied a dude coming that way at a good clip. I gave the door an extra-wide shove so it didn't close in his face. He caught it and entered on my heels. Figuratively, not literally. No thanks or anything. Not that I expected it.
We continued down the middle aisle, me stepping lively, due to that heel thing. At the end by the coolers, I made a right turn to get to the soda fountain. I was conscientious about doing my business quickly, because I wasn't sure if he was waiting for a turn at the beverage trough. I heard the cooler door slam, and I knew he wasn't. Still, I glanced over my shoulder just in case. Dude was nowhere in sight.
I walked to the front, toting my 44 oz Diet Coke. Peering around the end cap of the aisle, I could see Dude standing there holding two bottles of soda. So I knew he was ahead of me, even if we weren't in an actual line. I'd heard the cooler door, and he was already up front when I got there and I looked.
Two old ladies were paying at the counter. One started a lengthy spiel to the Man Owner, who was running the register. She must be a regular, or former regular. She told him about her husband having Alzheimer's, and two strokes. The other old lady, who had forked over the money, smiled at Man Owner, and said, "Okay, Mom. It's time to go." As they made their exit, Dude stepped up to the counter.
Fair enough. It WAS Dude's turn. Though some people will politely glance at the true line, and ask if another person was there first. Once in a blue moon, of course. As Dude was stepping up, an old man came in the door, kind of shuffling, a bit hunched over. He didn't go down the aisle, but stayed beside the end of the counter, where the card scanner sits, tethered by a wire. I figured I'd let him go ahead of me, because I was going to cash in a $75 scratcher. I'm a giver like that. A giver of my rightful turn in line.
Yes, I knew full well I was next. But I thought I'd let that old man go first. He was old, you know. Imagine my surprise when Old Man bellied up to the counter like it was his inalienable right, stating that he had $25 in gas!
HOW DARE HE!
Old Man KNEW it was my turn. He had looked me right in the eye when he came in the door. He saw me standing next in line, as soda Dude was paying. Yet now he was deliberately taking my rightful turn! Let the record show that this made me want to NOT GIVE HIM MY TURN!
I guess nearness to the register is 9/10 of the Next-In-Line Law.
I was even more surprised that Man Owner let Old Man get away with it. I'll give him a pass, because Man Owner gets all discombobulated when there is more than one customer. Besides, he apologized for my wait. I assured him that I am never in a hurry.
What in the Not-Heaven is wrong with people these days? An old Val can't even give away her turn without it being stolen from her first!
Obviously your former Teacher Power is fading.
ReplyDeleteYeah, my stink-eye needs work.
DeleteThat's as bad as letting someone in while driving and not getting the thank you wave. Or getting the thank you wave and thinking it was getting the finger because his hand was in a cast.
ReplyDeleteDon't I know it! Hardly anybody gives me the thank-you wave any more, when I stop to let them come across the low water bridge that's only wide enough for one car.
DeleteYou had already decided to give him your turn and he probably saw you look at him, so when you didn't step up to close the line, that was his cue that you were letting him in. I don't think you have any reason to fuss, just because you didn't get to utter the necessary words.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Guy didn't give me time to step up. He was in Counter No Man's Land, just inside the door, where people think they are entitled to toss their gas money on the counter and not wait. Those who use actual money these days!
Delete"Of course there was no reason for me to fuss," said Val, NEVER!
An older teen with her grandma said, "When I was at QT this guy elbowed me out of his way and said, 'Let me go next." and I thought what a di*k, until he paid ofr my purchases." good thing she didn't slug him.
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh! I don't foresee that happening around Backroads.
DeleteYesterday, a guy popped out of the Gas Station Chicken men's room as I was about to go out the door. Rather than just reaching out and opening the door to leave (it's within arm's reach of the men's room), he stood and waited for ME to open up the door. If he thought I was going to hold it open for him, he was sorely disappointed. I did push it wide as common courtesy, so maybe he was able to dart out without the effort, anyway.
Old men can be under the illusion that they are entitled!
ReplyDeleteIt seems more common in the YOUNG men!
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