“People who do the parking lot 'pull-through' thing are inconsiderate and oblivious to basic courtesy,” I’ve said.
“You know what—no, I’m just going to call it. They’re assholes. Assholes who need a nice low-speed, head-on collision with my very expensive, hard-earned car—they deserve an asset draining personal injury suit for the child they run over one day. Maybe then, they’ll learn just how much of all of the above they truly are. There oughta be a law—” I continue.
“—they’re all short-sighted, selfish and entitled. Clearly, common sense was never installed at factory. Total assholes.”
Everyone who hears that rant agrees with me each time they hear it (Or else, they’re pretending because they fear the fire coming out of my ears might become redirected at them.) I was justified, and I’d tell you so. And you can’t miss is that ire–that pull-through thing gets me angry. Firey. Those drivers? They’re entitled, inconsiderate, discourteous, short-sighted, selfish drivers have it coming. Who wants to argue?
A friend of mine used to preface his rare commentaries about other people with, “OK, I’m going to acknowledge my judgements here . . . I experience Sally* as [adjective, adjective and adjective]. You can count on his wrap-up commentary to be,
“ . . . and I should consider how much of that is about me."
Of course we’re judging each other. Of course we are—but when it’s reactive, raging, pissy or meant to level the proverbial playing field, it might just be about something more than it appears in the moment. It’s cause for pause + a little bit of reflection. And now, I say to myself,
Go deeper, and ask yourself what that's about because it sounds like something important is going on down there."
