And Good Morning to you, too!

[storytimewithjoe]

Having just crossed the street on this overcast summertime morning, I turned to walk the sidewalk in front of the Howe-Waffle House on the way to work.  One of the more idyllic landmarks of the town, the Howe-Waffle House stands as a tribute to a bygone age of culture, professionalism, and of course – money!  At the end of the sidewalk, a woman dressed in jogging clothes walked my way.  As we neared each other, I saw that she held out her right hand towards me.  And was that… her middle finger?  That looks almost obscene.  “Is her finger in a cast or something causing her to hold it out like that?” I wondered.  Nope.  “Well I’ll be…” I realized.  “She is actually flipping me off!”  Yep.  No doubt about it.  Nobody else was around.  She was giving me the bird. 

 

But WHY?  I don’t know this woman.  I have never seen her before.  She certainly doesn’t know me.  All she sees is a man in glasses, a suit and tie, and a briefcase walking her way.  Ah yes… the wardrobe.  Let’s see.  Could I be…

 

...the high-powered attorney who helped her husband escape alimony payments?

…her ex-husband?

…the landlord who gave her 30 days to pay up or get out?

…the Oppressor man who violated her wombyn-ness?

…the guy who told her “No!”

…the guy who told her “Yes!”

…the boss who fired her for some reason that she finds unacceptable?

 

I couldn’t believe she was actually flipping me off.  I worship in a nature-based religion that respects all life.  I work for a health care agency that sets up and maintain programs to help people with alcohol and drug issues.  I garden.  I cook.  I make pretty things.  Heck, I’m a pretty nice guy.  WTF?  To counter her negativity, as we passed shoulders, I turned slightly and wished her, “Good Morning.”  She walked a little faster and kept on moving.  I laughed.

 

Soon after, as I neared my building, one of the homeless guys who occasionally parks his bike near the main parking garage sat while eating his breakfast.  As I passed by, he smiled, looked up at me, and said, “Good morning.”  I did the same.

 

People… ya just can’t figure them.

Comments

[moira-ramsay.livejournal.com]

How sad it is that she feels the need to walk around with her head up her butt.

I am sorry you had such a poor start to your day.

[dendren.livejournal.com]

heh... once in a crowded parking lot this woman stopped next to me, rolled down her window, and yelled "what's your problem? why'd you just flip me off?".

Confused I said "ummm, I didn't" and without missing a beat I looked at her said "why, should I have?".

[persephonerose.livejournal.com]

wow, I wonder what the heck was going through her mind!

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

Maybe she had the hots for your hubby and is tweaked that you took him away from her.

[dorchesterguy.livejournal.com]

My sister was telling me this story the other day. Her friend got married and got a permit to hold the wedding on a local beach at a quiet time of day. The wedding planner set everything (tent, chairs) up and left to run an errand. When she returned a whole family had plopped down right in the middle of it all, though it was an empty beach. She asked them nicely if they would move and they said "no, we don't have to. we are having a family reunion" The policeman detail who was there gave them some shit but could not really make them move. Everything had to be picked up and quickly moved a ways down the beach. During the wedding, it was noted that the family packed up and left, their family reunion having become not so important, apparently.

Stories like this and the way your morning started make me believe in karma, or at least in the idea that the negative energy people send out will come back to bite their ass. You just gotta hope it does, at least. Good for you to hit her with a positive vibe.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

Nothing pisses negative people off more than to NOT be pissed off at them.

[fwbrad.livejournal.com]

Mean people suck. I think I would have been equally offended but am not sure I would have wished her a good anything but riddance.

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

ZAP!
I just used my Endora powers. Her middle finger is now a penis.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

Snort!!!