Lest you think Mrs. Hillbilly Mom is a ray of sunshine beaming over a unicorn ranch where fluffy kittens frolic through fields of cotton candy...I have my moments.
I don't go out of my way to be mean to people. Sure, I use situations to teach them lessons. But there's no malice aforethought.
Today, for instance, a car was waiting to get out of a gas station parking lot on my right, and onto the road. I was stopped at a light, fourth car back. I could have conceivably held my position when the light turned, and let that car out and into my line of traffic. It would have been simple. Just give the magnanimous wave. A nod. Be a good samaritan. Notice that warm feeling of helping others emanating from behind my liver.
However...
Behind me were five cars waiting. Waiting for that light to turn, same as I. Was it worth their ire to let ONE car out? To possibly miss the light myself, and at the very best scenario for me, get through the light while those behind me did not?
I had to think this one out. Make one driver happy, make five drivers mad. OR...make one driver think I was a rumpus-hole, make five drivers pump their fist in the air and yell, "Right on!"
The needs of the few DO NOT outweigh the needs of the many.
Same as in a classroom. As much as you want to have patience with the troubled youth demanding your attention with attention-seeking behaviors...the rest of the class deserves to be educated. The squeaky wheel must take a back seat sometimes, so the average kids can learn.
I did not let that car out. I went through the light. I saw in my mirror that NONE of the other five cars behind me let that car out, either. A semi truck behind them did, or was quite possibly just slow moving forward while going through the gears.
Let the record show that there is an alley on the other side of that gas station parking lot that takes you around the block, to come out on the same road, a bit farther back from the stoplight. That's what I'd have done. But I don't go to that gas station.
It's too hard to get out.
3 comments:
I agree with five cars behind you, letting that one car out might have caused a little road rage. Completely different story if it was just you of course.
Here in my block of flats there is a "squeaky wheel' and housing seems to be bending over backwards getting his every demand met while not thinking how this affects the rest of us in the same building.
I take it that's not the fried chicken gas station!!
River,
Yes, I often let people out, because where do I have to go? I'm generally not on a schedule.
These days, I think people are afraid of lawsuits or bad publicity, so they cater to the squeaky wheels. Or maybe they're just AFRAID afraid.
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fishducky,
Nope! I'm pretty sure your main clue was "I don't go to that gas station."
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