I feel like my parents always said hello to everyone; whether they knew them or not. I thought it was great. It feels nice when someone smiles at you and says "Hello". You know it's going to be a great day. So with hopes of keeping this tradition alive as an adult, I often walk by folks and say hello, and time and time again they just stroll on by with their heads down. It's not like I resemble a MINOTAUR... or a creepy pederast. I'm not talking about stopping a bunch of 11 year old school girls with hopes of hearing their Christmas wish lists here... I'm talking about a friendly gesture, a simple "Hello" or "How are you doing?" Maybe my hopes are too high for people or maybe it's because everybody is walking around with those STUPID HEADPHONES in their ears. It's a shame cause they are missing LIFE as it breezes right by.
I remember when I was a kid my AUNT bought me a WALKMAN. My Mom made me give it back. My brother and I weren't allowed to have them. I have to say, that was REAL parenting. My parents thought having headphones in your ears all the time was ANTI-SOCIAL. They said we should be reading, talking with our friends, or outside playing. How genius, let's tell our kids not to sit in their rooms all day listening to music through headphones... ALONE. They never said we couldn't listen to music; they just didn't want us to be walking around like dipshits with things hanging out of our ears. If all parents dealt with headphones the same way, we wouldn't be faced with this social INEPTITUDE that stands before us.
I was in line today at Trader Joe's and there was some humming and strange movement coming from one register over. I couldn't see what it was cause there was a very large man between me and the noise. Once the ANDRE THE GIANT-LIKE humanoid moved; I saw this silly BROAD bobbing her head and singing with the music obviously blasting through the disgustingly large headphones attached to her hollow head. I could barely hear the music over her singing and the commotion in the store, but I could STILL hear it. That can't be healthy. Now, I expect this from a HOMELESS person, who can't afford headphones so they would just be pretending they had music bumping, but this woman was by no means unemployed. The headphones she had on had to cost at least $200. She was in her late 20's, early 30's, wearing normal clothes and was not insane; although everyone was looking at her like she just escaped from the LOONEY BIN. What was making me nuts was that she was making a conscious choice to not only offend everyone in line, but everyone in the whole place. Are you FUCKING kidding me? People that have such blatant disregard for those surrounding them should have their toenails removed with a pair of pliers. Honestly, I wanted to put her in the SLEEPER HOLD right there. It would have been worth going to JAIL for the night. I would have slept like a baby in my cell knowing I made the world a better place... even for a few minutes.
What makes anyone act like this? Are we just afraid of the people we are sharing this planet with? Do you think you're alone out there? Do you want to be ALONE all the time? Act like that and you WILL. I mean it's great to be in a good mood, but YOU acting like you are on stage 24 hours a day or acting like you are a hermit that was let out from under it's rock for the first time in years is down right RIDICULOUS. Would it kill you to have some respect for the people that are near you once in a while? Jesus.
When people come into my shop and they're wearing headphones, I still say hello... and... they still ignore me. It infuriates me, yet I bite my tongue even though whether the customer is 16 or 60 I want them to take me to their creators so I can give them an earful.
Headphones are acceptable while running outside, working out in a gym, in a locker room before a game, on an airplane ride and on other means of public transportation. You can wear them when you're in your house working at your desk or while laying on a blanket in the park. But, if you are wearing headphones in the back seat of a car, that's bullshit. If you are wearing them while shopping in a store, you are an asshole. Take the FUCKING things out of your EARS!
I'd like to think people are all innately good. I'd like to think we want to speak to one another and be friendly. I'd like to think if an old lady fell down in her front yard some young lad would help her up or call a doctor. But with those stupid headphones in your ears and your eyes staring at the sidewalk; she's shit out of luck. As human beings we need communication for stimulation. Don't be such a social retard. Keep your head up. Say Hello every now and again... Help bring us back to a happier time this country once knew... Live a little. Don't walk around in FEAR. Don't hide from people out there. Chances are... they're just like you... And you never know who you're going to meet.
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