Smokers are irresponsible.

Harsh words, but sadly, there is at least 95% accuracy to the statement.  They can be some of the kindest people in every other aspect of their lives, but the lack of responsibility comes when they carelessly toss the butt of their cigarette, still lit, into grass, mulch, or other flammable-when-dry material.

Walking my usual route to work, I pass an apartment complex surrounded by bushes with a great deal of mulch all around them.  As I approached, I smelled the faint aroma of burning wood, which normally isn’t alarming in and of itself.  The smell could have wafted from a fire blocks away, as is normally the case.

Not this time, though.

The closer I got, I noticed a small tuft of smoke rising from the mulch, and sure enough, an area of about four feet in diameter was just smoldering away.  I immediately moved through the branches and started swiping the mulch onto the sidewalk with me feet.  Drivers stopped at the red light (this was right at an intersection) watched with interest.  Curiously enough, the smoke only increased as I tried to stomp it out, which I discovered was due to the seriously deep burning of the dry chips of wood.

After a few moments of this, I decided to trek back to the gas station a block up the street for a huge bottle of water.  As I was hurrying to do this, others passed by me on foot and bike only to completely ignore this little fire.  Purchasing the water and returning to the corner took about five minutes and of course no one else stopped to investigate.  If they did, they just didn’t care and went about their merry little way.

I don’t think I got a big enough bottle of water, but I did my best at more stomping, swiping and dousing the areas that looked the worst.

I now smell/reek of burning wood.  I was essentially dancing around in the smoke, so I’m not surprised.

I wonder if the scent is a pheromone and will attract me some hot chicks…

I picked up a few groceries for the weekend on my walk home from work yesterday.  While standing in a line to check out, my gaze wandered around as it usually does… assessing my surroundings, people watching, etc.  I happened to glance up at the aisle number I was standing in, after which my eyes traveled along the rest of the numbers. There were 14 aisles, four of which were closed, the ten others open for operation and all full of other shoppers stocking up for the weekend, too.

Nothing interesting so far, I know.  I’m getting to my point, I promise.

After a few seconds, I noticed a sign angled to stick out for easy view from the aisle number next to me. The sign was a circle, designed with cool greens and eye catching yellow print and along the perimeter read: Smiles for All. A Family Friend Aisle.

I scanned the rows again and noticed only one other aisle had the same sign.

So, I guess this means two aisles in this grocery store are geared to families with children, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out just how the cashiers are trained for such a thing.

Are they trained to smile at your children and say hello? Are they trained to not let that smile waver, even if those lovely brats are grabbing at the packs of gum and chocolates across from the conveyor belt and whining for their mommies to buy them candy? Do they give free candy if their moms actually don’t give in to the kid’s tantrums? Will they make balloon animals?

And what about all those other cashiers? Are they actually allowed to wear that unfriendly snarl or blank stare, while dragging your items across the price scanner and bagging your groceries improperly? You know… mixing canned goods with bread?

I can easily see those being assigned to the ‘family friendly’ aisles for their shift being teased by their co-workers… it’s gotta be a rough job. Maybe those who are assigned aisle four and eleven should be paid more.

Why do so many who live a life of privilege assume they’re entitled to more, and that they are above following certain rules?

I was at the lab again today for more blood work (yes, I’m ok, just getting my iron levels checked to ensure I’m not anemic). There were several signs posted both outside on the door and in various places of the waiting room forbidding the use of cell phones. There was an older man sitting a couple seats away from me, dressed in a suit and with a stethescope resting on his lap. The waiting area was small enough that I could hear parts of his conversation with the woman next to him, I assume a colleague or his wife, about dialing in on a conference call for a patient of his. He proceeded to do so… with his phone on speaker mode.

Almost immediately after the recording for the conference line started, the clerk behind the desk stood up and said, “Excuse me, sir, but cell phone use is not allowed in here.”

The man said, quite annoyed, “I’m a doctor and this is an urgent call.”

Clerk, still professional in her demanor: “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to step out in the hallway.”

The doctor stands up and walks to the counter, he lowers his voice and mumbles something that doesn’t make its way clearly to my ears. However, the clerk still responds in a tone loud enough that I can hear, “I’m sorry, but it’s company policy so you must step out into the hallway.”

At this point, I’m watching and listening intently - along with the five others in the room.

The doctor says, “Fine, then I will use one of your phones,” and starts to walk around and behind the desk. This whole time, his phone is still on speaker mode.

The clerk at this point is becoming annoyed, and rightfully so in my opinion. She raises her voice noticeably to stop him from proceeding completely around the desk and says, “The best I can do is place the phone on the counter for you to use, but you cannot come back here.”

I guess that wasn’t enough for the good doctor, so he walked out in somewhat of a huff and conducted his business in the hall.

I could be wrong, but from my perspective, the doctor seemed to think because he was a medical professional, he was removed from the rules set forth by the lab. Clearly the call wasn’t a private matter if he was going to conduct it right there in the lobby, so I see his lack of consideration of those around him and the disregard of the company’s policy as he felt he was entitled to something more.

Sadly, it’s nothing new.

Current Mood: Awake