Did I Forget To Turn Off My Invisibility Shield…Or Are You Just an Asshole?

I just want to take a minute to share a story of extreme rudeness I experienced yesterday. Let’s all take this as a reminder that we are not the center of the universe and other people's time, feelings, etc. are just as important as our own. Let’s all share kindness, common courtesy, and empathy with our fellow humans.

Yesterday, after several hours working in the yard, Charley and I decided to take a break to take the dogs to the dog park. On the way to the dog park we stopped at Maggie Moo’s for some ice cream. I ran in while Charley waited in the car with the dogs.

Inside the store, there was only one person behind the counter, and one group of people ahead of me in line —a woman with her grandmother and her 3 small children. I waited behind them for a while as the kid behind the counter fixed each of their orders. While I waited another woman came in with her husband and baby. The husband took the baby out to the patio and the woman wondered around the store for a minute or two before stepping in front of me in line. At first I was not concerned. I assumed she was just trying to view all the flavors in the case, and I figured she knew I was there first so we wouldn’t have any issues. But when the kid behind the counter said, “Can I help who was next?” she jumped in a started to order. Um…what?! I don’t think so!!

I said “Excuse me, I was here before you.”

Then she said, “You were? I don’t think so, I’ve been waiting here for a while.”

“No, I saw you come in, I was here first. You walked right by me,” I couldn’t believe her nerve. I even had to move out of her way when she walked by me. There was no way she hadn’t seen me standing there.

Then the kid behind the counter looked at her and said, “You where here first?” I know he knew I was there first, but he was just a teenager and probably didn’t know how to handle the situation.

The woman said, “Yeah, I’ve been waiting right behind them for a while,” pointing the other woman who had been in front of me in line.

The other woman then came to my rescue and said, “No, she was here before you,” pointing to me, “She’s next.”

The line jumper responded with, “Oh…I didn’t see you.”

It wasn’t till later that I realized she hadn’t even apologized for her bad behavior, but on my way out of the store I made sure to thank the women who backed me up.

I realize ice cream shop line jumping may not be as serious as some of our society’s problems, but it just goes to show how you self-centered we’ve become. Small incidences like this are happening all the time and I think we each need to take responsibility in changing that. It can only make the world a better place.

Okay, I’ll get off my soap box now. Thanks for listening.

Oh, and by the way, the pretzel ice cream at Maggie Moo's is magical.