JumpinJesus

Okay,

Typically, I read posts about pet peeves, inconsiderate people, etc.

This is my confession....

Last night, my wife and I were the jerks. Unbelievable, I know, but we were.

We're at home watching our Sex and the City DVDs. In one episode, Carrie is out clubhopping on Saturday nights whilst Aidan stays in, happy to watch some television and fall asleep in his skivvies with his hand in a bucket of KFC.

At the sight of this, my wife and I look at each other and simultaneously say, "KFC sounds good." I have a hankering for some popcorn chicken while my wife is jonesing for some Chicken Strips. We hit the redline and book it down to State and Lake, where there is a wonderful little Taco Bell/KFC joint. Since it's fucking freezing outside, we decide to walk the 10 blocks home. We cross State street - which is a wee bit crowded at 6:30 pm. As we cross the street, arm in arm, a woman is approaching us who is entirely unaware of where she is and where she's going and she's coming right at us!

We sashay to the left to no avail, she's still on a collision course. We hop to the right; she's matched our movements! We're doomed. She runs right into my wife. My wife says, sarcastically, "Excuse me!" We immediately hear a popping sound and I turn to see that the woman has just dropped her piping hot cup of coffee, spilling it all over the dried urine and frozen gum that send their familiar aroma cascading upwards into the cold Chicago air. The woman looks at us. She doesn't say a thing. She just looks at us. I say, "That's what you get for not watching where you're going." And we continue on home.

Later, we justified our actions by claiming that we tried to move, but she kept walking towards us. She wasn't watching where she was going; she was looking in store windows and lumbering along like a big oaf.

Today, however, I'm feeling like a bit of an asshole, but I can't do anything about it now.

So that's my "I was the asshole this time" story.

Anyone care to chastise me and then immediately share their own tale?

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"I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses

sprocket

The woman is not looking up as shes crossing a street? Mabye a spilled coffee and harsh comment was what she needed. Mabye she'll look both ways next time.

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stonegrody

I don't think that's so bad. She should have been watching where she was going. Maybe she had something on her mind or whatever but still, it's not your responsibility to watch where she's going. The "that's what you get..." statement was a little harsh but nothing you should lose sleep over. Being nice to someone, smile at a stranger, say hello to a stranger, etc. Do one good deed that may start a chain reaction and you should redeem your karma points.

I was an asshole to my girlfriend last night. She's sick and she was being really short and cranky with me. It rubbed me the wrong way and I returned the attitude. I should have just let it slide since she's sick. I apologized and so did she so we're cool again.

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Cadwiz

I must be an asshole too. I don't see where you did anything I would'nt have done. You tried to move out of her path, twice! Maybe you could have said something to get her attention?

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Semper Fi

JumpinJesus

I think it's a combination of the look on her face and my tone. She just look so defeated, as if it was the topper to a really bad day. Also, I did say it somewhat harshly.

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"I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses

Cadwiz

Well then, yeah you are an asshole!

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Semper Fi

splck

It's agreed, JumpinJesus is an asshole

At least you didn't trip her...
The fact that you feel bad about your actions tells me you're not such a bad guy. Because of this, next time you might act a little nicer to a person not looking where they were going. Try and look at the positive in this.

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nice line eh?

K-Wise

I would have been informing her that she was going to run into us when she was a few steps from us by saying "Excuse me mam" to get her attention and if she still ran into us I probably would have looked mad but been polite about it and apologized and nicely state that she should be more careful okay? Sort a shit...kinda guy I am...I guess it's a good thing. I don't necessarily like to make people feel bad since people have been making me feel bad all my life. I really feel terrible when I do..sometimes even if they deserved it.

Asta!!

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Lockjaw

Right. Maybe it's that whole difference between northern and southern thinking but even if someone runs into me the last thing I think to do is to snap at them. I apologize and say excuse me they typically do the same and off we go. Ya...the sarcasm and rude comments weren't necessary but hey at least you feel bad and hopefully won't do it again.

Manic_Skafe

Knowing that I'm not in the wrong is enough for me.

I'll often board extremely crowded buses and I'll get pushed, kicked, breathed on..etc. and in almost every case I'm the one who says excuse me. The average person is decent enough to feel bad when they've done something that bothers another person and their knowledge of the fact that they've bothered me is sufficient enough.

I doubt you'll find that woman again so it'd be impossible to square things off with her so I suggest you repay us all - the next time anyone does anything like that you should be the one to apologize...

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billege

I hear you. It happens to the best of us.

Don't worry about it too much, because it's not that big a deal.

If you want to, though, the next time something like that comes up, insist on buying a new up of coffee/whatever. Even if it's NOT your fault. With any luck you'll make a new friend. If not, you've still done something really nice.

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OFKU0

Well that is just terrible of you. Perhaps your TFP membership should be revoked. Alright then, 20 pushups and a trip to the titty board you go.

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godxzilla

That happens to me a lot also. I react in one way, then at home or later I feel like I was just a dick. I think its all just part of how we learn to react. My mom always used to say "think before you speak" and these are the reasons why.

I think you may have overreacted a little but thats life. Dont worry about it, enjoy your KFC, and learn from it!

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Mike

denim

Product placement marketers win.

raeanna74

I doubt it has anything to do with northern or southern thinking. I've run into rude people everywhere I go.

I have a feeling though if the woman had automatically said "Excuse me." Right away when she bumped into your wife then your feelings toward her might have been less hostile. Am I right?? Then if when she spilled her coffee she'd said something like 'oops" intead of just looking at you, I'm guessing you might not have reacted so. Her, just looking at you, could have been implied as her thinking it was your fault at which you responded "defensively". She did not handle herself with decorum in a blunder which she made and you responded with offense.

I'm not giving you an excuse but suggesting that you might not have felt as offended had she acted properly herself. People make mistakes but you say excuse me or apologize and laugh it off instead of staring and other's won't think of you as negatively. I'm very distractable and constantly running into people and things. I automatically say excuse me even if I'm just forced to walk between two people who are talking. I've never been met with comments such as you gave because I head them off with courtesy on my part.

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Cynthetiq

exactly what I was thinking...

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Charlatan

I'm sure it was the KFC doing the talking... wait... no. You were an asshole.

It happens to the best of us.

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thenewguy

If it's still something you're thinking about tomorrow, buy a cup of coffee for someone and chalk it up as a reminder.

And the next time you're so caught up that you are brought into the moment by someone bumping into you, try to remember the experience so you'll know how she felt. Then tell us what it was like.

jwoody

She probably bit her quivering lip until you were out of sight then burst into an uncontrollable flood of tears.

maleficent

I'm not one prone to tears... but I've been in the situation as that woman.. Having a miserable day... and the only good part of the day was that cup of coffee... Then, due to my own carelessness, or whatever, doesn't matter, my coffee ends up on the floor, and I'm feeling bad enough, I get yelled at? Yup, I've cried...

Two wrongs never make a right...

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flamingdog

Yeah, it seems to me that if she'd at least said something, you wouldn't have reacted that way. And I mean, yeah it was an accident, so hauling off is a bit harsh, but still, you had reason to be exasperated. Don't beat yourself up about it, she'll probably laugh about it in a week. So will you.

JumpinJesus

grrrr. That hadn't even crossed my mind. You're right, though.


The thing is, I'm not usually like that. I like to think that I'm the type of person who would've offered to buy her another cup of coffee. I guess this incident has just made me realize that I need to try a little harder to be that person.

In the whole scheme of things, this wasn't that big a deal in that I'm sure it happens to lots of people, it's just that I never pictured myself being that rude person that gives us reason to lament the decay of manners.

Most of you are right. I'll likely never see this woman again, but I can use this incident as a catalyst to make a concerted effort to be a little nicer.

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"I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses

water_boy1999

Asshole! Ok, got that out of my system.

Just remember the "platinum rule":

Do unto others as you would 'want' others to do unto you.

We still like ya.

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Doh!!!!


-Homer Simpson

Dostoevsky

Man, you don't need to be chastised over this. The fact that you're still thinking about it and regret doing what you did speaks volumes about your character. Everybody makes mistakes like this from time to time, I know that I have. The most important thing to remember is that nothing in life is more important than other people and we should strive to treat each other well. Just try to keep the remorse you feel about this incident in mind next time you're in a similar situation and do better. Think about how good you would feel about yourself right now if you would have smiled sincerely and asked if she was ok instead of reacting rudely. It only would have taken 10 seconds, but it could have altered the entire evening for everyone involved.

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