Sunday, October 18, 2009

Did you ever?

Lately I keep feeling like our world is getting more and more crazy. People seem to have Less compassion, Less patience, Less humanity than ever before. I questioned if it was just me thinking this way? Am I just getting older and crankier? You know what? No. that is not it. The world IS getting crazier and It isn't just the younger generation. Even older folks are... well .. Losing it! I see more selfishness and rudeness than I ever remember noticing before.

Tonight I spoke to my 80 year old Mom who lives on her own down in Florida.
Mom volunteers at the hospital a few days a week and volunteers as a bingo caller in between.
She has been calling bingo for years and gets much praise for her fun, outgoing personality.
Last week an 87 year old man got a bingo but hesitated a little too long to shout it out and My mom had already called the next number to which 3 additional people shouted BINGo! The 87 year old mans wife began repeatedly calling my mom a BITCH! Screaming that she went too quickly and that her husband deserved the pot all to himself! ISN'T THERE SOMETHING CRAZY AND SO SO WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?? I am telling you, something bizarre, scary and so sad is happening in the world. We seem to be desensitized to the feelings of others. Decency and morals a thing of the past. My poor mom was so upset and didn't know what to say or do.
I feel so bad to know she was spoken to like that. Mom called The director of the senior center, who told her that she did do the right thing.. Once the next ball was in the slot she had to Call it and honor the multiple winners. Just what an 80 year old donating her time needs, right? insults and aggravation.

On the way home from Bingo, mom stopped off for gas. She waited behind a station wagon while he filled up. After he was done.. He continued to sit in his car and chat with the attendant who was apparently his friend. They both acted totally oblivious to the fact that someone else was waiting. After waiting for a good 5 minutes patiently in her car, my mom leaned her head out the window and said.. "excuse me, would you mind getting going now?" The attendant went inside the gas station and the man in the station wagon deliberately just stayed in his car a few minutes longer. She knew it was just to bother her a little bit more!! HE was inconsiderate from the start and because She asked him to move, he decided to torture her even more?? Hello??? Is it just me?? Does this make any sense? Or are you infuriated too? He should have apologized and quickly moved over or out!! Finally my 80 year old (extremely brazen) little mama... Got OUT of her car and started walking towards him. He finally drove off! I got so upset that she did that! I warned her that with the looneys these days, you can NeVER assume he wouldn't have hurt her.
Hasn't this kind of rudeness and maliciousness happened to you? Do u feel it's happening more often too? What do you feel is the best way to handle hateful, ignorant strangers? I always say ignore these types but how can you in the gas station situation? I swear, I wish I could spray my mom with cretin repellant.

7 comments:

Queen-Size funny bone said...

I do see it happening more and more. life is so miserable for many that they think of nothing but themselves. not one thought for other people. I being the sweet person I am GO OFF on people like this and they wish they were kinder in the end. I'm afraid its the italian in me.

Anonymous said...

"I am telling you, something bizarre, scary and so sad is happening in the world. We seem to be desensitized to the feelings of others."

No truer words.

Being an introvert by nature, I find being around people to be tiring in the best of circumstances. And now with everyone so unhappy for whatever self-absorbed reason, I find people nearly impossible.

And in my case this rudeness isn't limited to strangers either. I am shocked at how friends/family behave toward one another.

2cats said...

My husband says about the world...no wait I better not say what he says about the world.
I try to kill the crazy people, the crabby people, the rude people, the greedy people with KINDNESS.
Kindness does not cost me anything and it might just give one of the above people something to think about. I am not a Pollyanna by any means because there is something perverse in me that loves to see the shock and confusion on the face of a crazy, crabby, rude, greedy person when I smile and tell them to have a great day and that God loves them.

Patois42 said...

Damn it, but those events make me mad. And sad.

Walter said...

I believe that this world we are living is getting sicker. Still, we cannot change it. If we resist we lose.

Many times I have encountered a situation like yours and I felt the surge of anger within me. However, I thought what's the use? Perhaps we should learn to let it go, because we will gain nothing from it.

rel said...

Lucy,
It does seem that the world we inhabit is overpopulated with rude, crass, and selfish folks, but there's always people like your mom and yourself for counterpoint. So there is hope!
rel

Barb said...

It IS crazy. Hugs to your mom.

Happy Halloweeeeeen!