I constantly make vows to not lost my temper at the locals because of their selfish, uncouth habits and it seems that the only way I can keep these vows is to not have them tested. For as soon as I go into public some minor impertinence on the part of some local has me swearing or doing something impertinent in response.
I made my latest vow as I was listening to a Mother Angelica Classic EWTN Podcast during which she suggested that her listeners smile more as they went through their day and keep their patience. She even talked about traffic behavior and how we shouldn't use our horns. Mother Angelica was a great speaker, her strong Catholic faith put her leagues above normal inspirational speakers, and she didn't sugarcoat what she was saying. Saints, she said, were flawed and were always battling their flaws. Yet, I made the mistake of going away from her podcast with my feet in clouds thinking this time I would once and for all conquer myself. This vow was broken the next Tuesday as my patience got tested three times.
First, I was driving Tony to school and was stuck in the usual long line of cars waiting to drop off children. I was stopped behind a white SUV which suddenly decided to go into reverse. At first I didn't want to believe that someone would do that in that traffic situation, but they did. I honked at the car loudly and when I was finally able to get around the car, I gave the driver the middle finger.
Secondly, I was in the Subway station and going through the process of getting to the platform. I had put my bag on the X-ray machine belt when some man came from behind and put their bag in front of mine. I was miffed and thinking of a vow I had made, after some other local had done the same thing, I grabbed the man's bag and put it behind mine. The guy looked at me and seem startled as I swore at him. I went on my way.
The adage of trouble coming in threes was later proved to me at checkout line in a Carrefour Supermarket. The male clerk operating the checkout wasn't very efficient and while I wasn't so impatient, the woman in line behind me was. She was practically standing up against me, waiting for the shopper in front of us to be done and for the register counter to be cleared of items. The woman's hovering so close compelled me to put my basket on the counter to stop her from encroaching any closer to my space. I had a feeling that she would have cut in front of me if she could (the locals always give me that feeling). When the shopper being served finally loaded her stuff into her bag, thus clearing the counter, the woman behind me lifted up her basket and tried to push mine ahead. I used some impertinent language indicating to her that she should be more patient.
So, three times I failed to keep to my cool. I should have smiled but I didn't.
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