almost

Last time I went to the grocer I almost got mad and walked out.

Almost.

I went through the self-serve checkout and for a moment I felt my blood boiling. Just for a moment.

You see I scanned my card and then I spun the carousel around and fluffed open a couple of bags. That caused a sensor to trip so I turned and looked at the attendant, took a minute, then he came over.

He said, "You have to remove the item you put in the bag."

I said, "I spun it around and opened a couple of bags. I didn't put anything there."

He started looking things over. He looked in the bags, he looked in the back, he leaned and peered.

"I didn't put anything there bud."

I'm thinking, "If this kid doesn't stop looking and turn the machine on I'm out of here. If he says anything about removing the item again, I'm out of here!"

Then I stopped.

I'm here all of the time and this kid is just doing his job. Don't worry about it.

My feelings subsided, I checked out and walked away. Right there I was thinking that I didn't want to be like that Aussie I wrote about below who got mad at me when I asked him to please not spam me.

Control yourself Chris, no one is out to get you.

A few nights later I saw a show called the 'Half Ton Man' about a fellow who weighed 1,072 pounds when they got a forklift and hauled him off to the hospital. What was amazing was his attitude later on after he had lost 4 or 5 hundred pounds. He said if anyone tried to tell him what to do that was it, he'd get them and he was going to do what he pleased.

I would say that this poor guy is a pretty good example of where a defensive attitude will get you.

This is a bit like the good attitude, bad attitude thing. People get along just as well in life no matter their attitude and I suppose the same is true for people who upset themselves over what other people say. They get along just as well as those of us who don't care much what other people say.

Well, that's where I hope I stand anyway. Don't let it bother you.