Get Out of My Personal Space, Jackass!

Before my morning run today, I was reminded once again why People Suck. I arrived at my usual forest preserve, and was waiting to take a drink out of the water fountain before getting started in the 80-degree heat.

I waited for a few minutes while this guy soaked his shirt with water, drained it (over the water fountain no less), and continued to cool himself off with his wet t-shirt.

I finally got tired of waiting in the car, so I went to the fountain, and excused myself, so that this jerk would get the idea that I wanted to get a drink. I go in for a sip, and Joe Athlete determines that's the perfect time to stretch his left leg, by putting it right on the water fountain -- never mind that there was a park bench about two feet away.

RoadRage behaved himself, and somehow found the restraint not to punch this guy right in the face. I think I was just struck by the irony that I write this blog on almost a daily basis and I continue to run into people that truly suck. It's almost funny, but it isn't.

It takes me back to when I used to ride the train to and from work every day. I'd sit in the second level of the train, all the way in the back in a two-seater facing the front. In front of me, there was a row of eight to 10 seats facing sideways, and invariably the next person on the train would sit in the seat right in front of me -- leaving the other seats empty for most of the ride.

And then, when I go to church, there is one pew where a family of three has just enough room to kneel when it is called for during the mass. There is room for three more people in the pew to sit without knee rests, and it seems like every time I try to sit there with my son and daughter another family of three comes and sits right next to us -- forcing us to move away from the kneelers. Meanwhile, the four (larger) pews behind us are empty -- so, instead of pointing out their selfishness in church, the RoadRage family moves to the pew right behind.

I don't understand how some people can be so inconsiderate of others. As you can see on this blog, I think a lot of people suck, and even if I wanted to bring myself to treat other people like this, I couldn't do it -- but everyday I run in to dumb asses who don't think twice about treating other people like shit just to make things slightly easier for themselves.

My main gripe here is that nobody respects anyone else's personal space (which I experienced at the grocery store tonight, but that's another story for another blog post). Do RoadRage a favor. The next time you come into a church, theater or any public place and there's one guy sitting there by himself or with his kids, please show some common courtesy (and common sense for that matter), and sit at least two rows behind them. RoadRage is getting angry!

RoadRage