When you are sitting in a quiet waiting room, one of the most annoying things anyone could possibly do is talk incessantly on their cell phone. I will never understand this lack of public manners. Is that really comfortable? I know your entire conversation! It may be as mundane as the one I’m listening to right now, but whether or not it’s enticing, you are literally driving everyone else into an itchy fit of anxiety with your solitary voice echoing through the room.
Others choose to read a book or the paper, sip coffee, some choose to quietly punch away on their laptop (oh hey! that’s me) and others are perfectly okay with leaning their head back and closing their eyes to soak in the quiet that Loudmouth to my left is completely disrupting.
I came to my favorite car repair service spot this morning for a quick oil change before scooting away to wonderful Chicago for a desperate attempt to escape Grand Rapids for a night.
I pulled up and notified the nice young man, “Oil change and tire rotation, please! Also, excuse the mess, I wish I had a reason as to why my car is such a disaster, but as it turns out I’m just the most disgusting person alive.”
Fifteen minutes came and went faster than reading a chapter from Harry Potter before my name was called. I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Serious? Gosh, I love you guys. You are always SO fast!”
The look he was giving me was one of trepidation, he let out an intimidated and very fake laugh/sigh. Something was wrong.
My quick oil change turned into “your front tires are illegal to drive on,” and $300 later, I no longer have the shopping endeavors planned in the Windy City as I did twenty minutes ago.
Loudmouth has finally left the building and I heard the room let out a united sigh of relief and even saw some grins and shaking of heads. Thus, declaring my previous assumptions to be true. Also, a gentleman from my parent’s generation just received a phone call, to which he reacted by standing up and walking in the next room. These are times when I’m not wholeheartedly in love with the generation I was born in to.
Did I mention the discussion I heard on the radio a few days ago, where nearly every caller agreed that it is best to not say “no no” to your children and instead strive to avert their attention elsewhere? And does anyone else see how completely stupid that is?
Think, for a minute, if everyone was raised in a fashion where we never heard the word “no.” We would crumble and fail so quickly in this world of adulthood where hearing the word “no” comes about in our everyday lives. I’ll go ahead and say it, even kids need to hear “no,” or you are likely raising your sweet child to be an entitled asshole.
Tires still aren’t on, but I can only do a waiting room rant for so long.
I’ll tell you all about the Avatar’s Chicago adventures very soon, and if your kid tries to touch a hot stove I hope you yelp out “NO NO!” so loud.
Cheers!
Hannah's Thirties 