Musings of a Confused Soul

#3. How do you describe stupidity? Am I stupid?

Is it Ignorance, Rudeness, Obnoxiousness, Futility, being vain…I can keep adding more words to describe what it is but decided not to. I know you get the picture. Right?

I thought I would share an incident that happened to me this past weekend.

I went to a store to buy some stuff. I was maneuvering my cart as usual through those aisles while picking the stuff and throwing it into the cart. Next, I went to the aisle where the Chamomile tea was. I went a few yards and I saw this lady with her cart, coming my way. I tried to move my cart as much as possible. But she left her cart right in the middle and started to look for whatever she was looking for.

I waited to see if she would be done in a few seconds….I gave her a minute. She was very nonchalant and ignoring the fact I was right in front of her and took her own sweet time. I finally said to her in a very low tone of voice “excuse me…” She heard but ignored me. It was too obvious she was being a jerk. I waited a few more seconds. Then I cleared my throat and said to her “Excuse me…I need to get to the other side, could you please move your cart?” in a very pleasant manner.

I was already in the middle of the aisle. She looked at me with a really angry face and said, “You go back. I am still looking here.” I was dumbfounded. I said, “Go back? Where? I just want you to move your cart so I can go forward..” She got angry! I have no idea why. She said, “I am not moving, you go back and go around”.

Uhmmm…what just happened? I don’t think I have done anything wrong. Why was she angry with me?

At this point, another lady came behind me. I guess she heard the way this angry lady was speaking to me. She said to the angry lady “You cannot talk like that with other people. Mind your manners. You are in America now. Learn to be polite.”

At first, I thought they both are together since she had the same accent as this angry lady. But then, the angry lady started to yell at this nice lady “Who the hell are you to tell me how to talk? You go back. Go back both of you wherever you came from” The nice lady rolled her eyes and left from that aisle.

Hmmm. Does not add up! I still kept my cool. But at this point, I made a mistake. I laughed. While laughing, I looked straight into her eyes.

That is when she lost it, her sanity that is. Oh, wait. She doesn’t have that to begin with. Dah!

She said, “Don’t be stupid, just turn around and go back.” While she was saying that, my face was still filled with that sarcastic laughter. But, as soon as she finished her sentence I finished laughing.

I heard what she said. Boy oh boy, …she really invoked my real self out. She should not have done that. My face changed. When I get angry, I become a completely different person. My face becomes grotesque and scary!!! My voice becomes even scarier and intimidating.

With that scary face, I went close to her and said in a low but very assured tone “What did you just call me?” She stepped back a bit. I asked her again “What did you call me? Did you just call me stupid?” Her tone changed now. She said, “ No I did not say you are stupid I said don’t be stupid”.

Huhmmmm…what? Let me get to the dictionary in my brain a bit…. Is there a difference?

Then I looked straight into her face once again and said “Okay, well let me tell you this. I am saying YOU ARE stupid. Now move your cart back”. I spoke loudly and that followed with a question to the store “Is anyone here who can help me have this lady move her cart please?”. I did not move an inch until one of the store attendants came over and pulled her cart back so I can move forward. I thanked the guy.

It was obvious there is something wrong with her. after a few minutes, I saw that second lady in another area and she said to me “She has a devil in her. It has nothing to do with you. Just ignore her”. I thanked her for trying to be supportive and moved on to the counter to pay.

After all is done, I was about to leave. The girl at the counter said, “Have a good one”. I said, “Thank you, you too have a good day”. Then I was about to turn towards the exit door. Suddenly, I heard a loud, angry and scary voice that yelled in my face with an even scary face “GOOD DAY”. I was startled and so did the rest of the customers in line and the lines next to mine. Then That bad lady left with her stuff with a really angry face.

I looked at everyone. Everyone looked at me with puzzled faces. I made a face shrugged my shoulders and laughed. They all laughed too.

Of course, they had no idea what happened a few minutes back. I am positive they all thought that lady was weird. Of course, she was. She ‘had a devil in her’. Ha ha ha.

I cannot help but thank her for creating that situation. Because of it I am able to share this incident with all of you.

I thank you, angry lady. I wish you to have a better life from now on. Maybe you should learn how to breathe by taking up yoga classes, better yet 'Laughter Yoga' would do you good. That should solve all your problems. LOL!

Comments

06.06.2019 22:01

Shobha

If I was in India, I would have simply moved her cart to the side and made my way forward. Here in the US, I don't know how I would have reacted. Generally, people here are extremely polite.

07.06.2019 00:16

Aruna

By giving her a chance to be nice back to me. 😂

07.06.2019 00:14

Aruna

Hi Shobha, It was funny you mentioned that. One of my friends actually said, “why didn’t you just move her cart?”. I guess, I could have, but then that would not be me. I tried to be nice.

06.06.2019 14:07

Vijaya

The lady has a problem.Politeness is universal - one should be polite everywhere not just in the US. Such behaviour will rise across the world due to breakdown in coping skills & rising frustrations.

07.06.2019 00:10

Aruna

Yes Vijaya,True. Due to lack of communication skills people behave in such a way which actually is placing them back in time. Well may be back in time people might have got along fine. Who knows!!

28.05.2019 17:26

Kim Selbert

I enjoyed your story and couldn’t help but laugh at the outcome. You definitely didn’t do anything wrong. The “bad” woman needs to learn to be a little more accommodating and not be so selfish.

28.05.2019 17:30

Aruna

Thank you Kim. Yep I agree. It is funny how different people are in their out look on life.