I had fun on my commute home last night. It started with an annoyance, but turned around quickly.
The escalator leading down into the subway station was packed, a combination of tourists and office workers. Standard practice is to stand on the right side of the escalator to allow people to walk past you on the left—remember that if you ever take the subway in DC. If you forget, well...please read on.
Anyway, as I said, the escalator was packed, on the right and left. With encouragement from a woman one step down, the young man next to me started yelling at people to “move to the right”. That wasn’t going to happen, there were too many people and many of them were tourists. The second time he yelled I told him to stop, that the older gentleman (20 steps ahead—with at least 20 people behind him) wasn’t going to move. He complained about people being rude, not doing what they’re supposed to.
Right about that time the older gentleman stepped off the escalator at the bottom and we could see more than just the back of his head. We could see he was carrying a wheelchair for his extremely frail wife.
I turned to my new friend and said, “Wow, you must feel like a huge jerk right now!” and laughed (and laughed).
He didn’t see the humor and stomped off into the subway in a huff. Hopefully he learned a lesson. I’m all for speaking up and encouraging people to “do what they’re supposed to” (it was my dad’s best trait), but that doesn’t include yelling at someone because you have to wait 30 seconds.
Patience and courtesy should never go out of style.
He should have felt bad about it. :S
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and caring older gentleman :)
I hope to be 1/2 of a couple like that someday. :)
DeleteOh gawd I would have been so embarrassed if I'd been that guy! He must have no class to not have felt any remorse lol
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of banjos, I wanted to hit him with one. lol
DeleteSo true.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like common courtesy is on the decline nowadays. :(
Maybe it will make a comeback. Probably not, but maybe!
Deleteagreed! people need to chill and realize that waiting an extra minute won't kill you!
ReplyDeleteIt might even save your life--I had that happen during one morning commute, stuck behind the slowest driver on the highway. I was thanking him after concrete fell off an overpass into our lane. I wouldn't have been able to stop (or might even have been under it) if we'd been going faster.
DeletePatience seems to be lost on most people nowadays. It's kind of sad and it's a huge pet peeve of mine. Especially when driving. People are SO rude... honking, swerving, giving people the finger... all because you had to wait 10 seconds? And after all that you moved what, 1 car ahead of where you were before? Was it worth it??
ReplyDeletexo, Yi-chia
Always Maylee
It always amazes me how many accidents those people risk causing just to move up that one car length. They're the worst drivers on the road, but I'm sure they think they're the best.
DeleteI hope you have a nice weekend, free of rudeness!
Bravo to you for saying something to that jerk. He SHOULD have felt bad. Of course he wouldn't admit it since he's a jerk. Amen "Patience and courtesy should never go out of style". Which reminds me to express that more.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. To him, everyone else is the problem. I almost had anothe rinteresting experience on Metro the next evening, but a transit police officer showed up at just the right moment.
DeleteMaybe I should start driving in!!! :)
Enjoy the nice weather this weekend.
You are absolutely correct - there is NO excuse for lack of patience and kindness. And I would do well to remind myself of that more often
ReplyDeleteTo be brutally honest, all you've ever been to me is kind and patient.
DeleteHaha... I would've felt like a huge jerk for sure!
ReplyDeleteHmm I know many countries have the "stand on the right side" rule but in my country it's stand on the left, mainly coz most people are right-handed so if they're moving, they'd be able to hold on to the railing.
The right-hand thing makes sense. I guess our drive on the right, pass on the left convention permeates everything.
DeleteI think people like that never get it, sorry to say. He probably walked off muttering under his breath that elderly/disabled people should't be allowed on the escalator. Thankfully those kind of jerks are few and far between.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the muttering and the likelihood he learned nothing. I was startled when he started yelling. Any sighted person could see the escalator was too crowded for all to stand to the right--and get out of his way. So he was rude and illogical.
DeleteGreat lesson here, Ric. =)
ReplyDeleteit doesn't kill most of us to have a bit of patience, but it can save somebody else.
Thank you! You're right, a little patience can go a long way.
DeleteI do get annoyed at people for not standing the correct side. In my country, it would be the left. But I wouldn't shout and rant like what the man did. I'm sure many of us would feel a little annoyance here and there but we would also have enough courtesy to show understanding and to exhibit patience. What that man did was totally uncalled for. He should bear in mind that the people might not be locals and wouldn't have known that they were obstructing the human traffic. I like the revelation at the end of the old man carrying his wife's wheelchair. That could serve as a short moral story, with Rick being the author articulating the moral through the main character, Rick.
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, I'm the main character too often! My early stories often had a lesson in them somewhere, but I've gotten away from that. :(
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