What Do You Really Think?
By: Elizabeth Cowan
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Have you ever had the urge to tell people what you think of them?
Without beating around the proverbial bush, people are stupid. Or, if you prefer the bush version, stupidity is rampant among us.
Before you get your sensitive boxers, panties, or thongs in a bunch, let us prove our point.
Normally, when someone asks a question, we assume they want an answer and that they will listen to that answer. Of course, we all know what happens when we assume. We are, more often than not, disappointed in our fellow humans.
What usually follows is the person who answered the question you asked requires Herculean effort not to share their thoughts. In other words, tell you exactly what is going through their mind at the moment when your inattention followed by your stupidity becomes crystal clear.
In the interest of exercising kindness, perhaps the questioner does not mean to be obtuse or exhibit elements of stupidity. Sometimes it is a matter of engaging the mouth before the brain has a chance to counsel caution.
For example, when the Grands contemplated which university to attend, this lady learned many universities offered a legacy program for the offspring of graduates. With that in mind, she suggested the Grands could attend OU because she and Hubby were alumni.
At that point, their parents pointed out that they were Texas A&M University graduates. Then this lady’s stupid gene decided it was a great time to kick in. “I wonder if the girls could attend A&M?”
Her daughter and her husband pointed out the obvious. If the legacy program worked for OU, then it would work for A&M as well.
See. Anyone can have a stupid moment before engaging the brain and still not be considered stupid. Although the side-eye directed at her by every adult in the room might belie the preceding statement.
This lady has mentioned in past columns that her eldest Grand had graduated and planned on getting a second degree which would not involve working with the public. Consequently, she is now living with this writer, working to earn enough money for that second degree.
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Like her grandmother, this Grand does not tolerate stupid people, which can be problematic since her current job is in the food service industry with heavy people contact. The only reason she can tolerate the situation is that the contact, although constant, is fairly brief. Perhaps that allows her to regain her equilibrium because people seem to go out of their way to prove how annoying they can be.
To her credit, while on the job, she manages to treat everyone with courtesy. However, the stupids bring on an internal dialogue that expresses her opinion of them.
Every evening when she comes home from work, she gives her grandmother a blow-by-blow description of those who have gone above and beyond the general requirements for stupid behavior.
The best and most entertaining part of her monologue is that she includes all her frustration and internal dialogues while recounting the worst examples. Everything from the incessant complainers to those demanding the impossible. ?
As soon as she walks in the door, her grandmother gets a preview of the day her Grand had. All too often her first words besides “Hello” are “O my god, Mimi, wait till I tell you what happened today!”?
Those words are like the curtains parting on the stage. The performance is about to begin. And her grandmother is ready to hear the latest tales that pushed the Grand’s annoyance meter into the red zone.
For some reason, people lose their common sense when it comes to the questions they ask along with their unreasonable demands. Their manners are lacking.
A customer asked what pies they offered. Then she asked for a pie that was not on the list. And then, complained about it.
This establishment even offers an App to get discounts or free items. The App must be downloaded before ordering and arriving. Some ignore the requirements, expecting the benefits without exerting any effort. And then complain.
It is not rocket science, but some act like it is.
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