by ExRat » Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:04 am
I have far too many and have come to the realization that I am quickly turning into a horrible curmudgeon.
A few that [i]really[/i] incur my wrath and get my dander up:
British tourists - Especially of the 18-30 year old male variety. It's funny that Americans are often seen as jingoistic, obnoxious visitors abroad. I can say that with absolute certainty, young Brits on holiday are the most obnoxious, the loudest, the whiniest, the rudest and most disparaging, drunken bastards to ever shuffle drunkenly through continental Europe and loudly proclaim that "everything is crap". Young Americans on the other hand, when I encounter them are usually always polite, interested in their surroundings and eager to engage with locals out of genuine curiosity. The Brits shouldn't be allowed to travel until age 30 or so however. I'd like nothing more than to see half of them locked up in Murru Prison for a year or two. The British are so polite and so very reserved? HA! That is surely some American stereotype formed by someone who never encountered a small slobbering pack of them . . . hooligans.
Local convenient store clerk #1 and #2 - Don't fucking tell me one more time to "enter your pin number" when the doohickey prompts me too. I KNOW HOW TO READ. Besides, even if I were some sort of illiterate, I come in twice a day and have picked up on that bit of advice several years ago.
Forced socialization and small talk with assholes - This happens all too frequently at work. I am just [i]not[/i] the type who can engage in it. Sure, I can be civil (albeit in small doses). Sure, I can [i]not[/i] act like a total prick who wants to eviscerate you with a pencil. But, if I dislike you and you dislike me and we are both well aware of our mustal disdain, drop the fucking pretense that we are "pals" when the higher-ups are around. It only makes me hate you more for being a fake, lying dirtbag intent on impressing others . . . also, I realize I have both a "funny" and "unusual" given name and surname, but I've worked there long enough for you to have learned how to spell both.
Strangers touching me - Keep your hands to yourself, please. I just somehow thought this was common knowledge and a universally accepted practice. Stupid me.
People who refuse to discipline or reprimand their out of control children - Thank god I don't have any; and thank god for those who have them and know how to parent. It never ceases to astonish me how Americans parent their very small children. They aren't your little friends, they are your kids! Stop pretending you don't see the mess they are making in public places because you are too lazy to clean it up. Stop dressing your 3 year old girls like 40 year old hookers. Stop buying them so much crap they don't need just because they whine for a few moments and you want them to always [i]like[/i] you. It's little wonder why we live in a society where everyone feels as though they are entitled to everything sans hard work or discipline - if it makes someone feel bad or causes them an iota of discomfort, well then, we must eliminate it! Because, we all know, we should all be spared any sort of inconvenience whatsoever at all times or we are entitled to throw a colossal wobbly.