Speaking Up

I mentioned in another blog how sometimes we should speak up instead of remaining silent and fuming. Well, I got to do just that yesterday.

I had to do a bit of grocery shopping (even non-cooks need some groceries in the house) so went to my favorite grocery store, Food Basics. It's cheaper to shop there and it pretty well has anything I need. As I finished my shopping and got into a rather long line at the checkout I noticed a small basket of groceries on the floor in the middle of the line. I naturally assumed they belonged to the man behind them but, as the line moved forward, he shoved the basket aside with his foot so I noticed he was carrying a few items in his hands.

The line continued to move forward at a snail's pace and suddenly a man appeared from no-where complaining that someone had moved his grocery basket out of line. Then he picked it up and stepped right into the middle of the line. No-one said a word but I did. Keep in mind that I'd been in line for over 5 minutes and his basket was sitting there longer than that.

I sarcastically said, "Why didn't you just put your basket at the head of the line before you went shopping and then you really could have gone first?". He looked at me with surprise but didn't even have the sense to be embarrassed. He stayed in line and occasionally gave me a dirty look as the lady behind me and I discussed what a jerk he was.

I'm always amazed at how someone like this grown man could be so self centered and wondered how he behaves elsewhere. I bet he's a jackass wherever he goes.