A good example of where I almost lost my cool occurred last week. We have a quaint, extremely convenient and defininitely overpriced general store in our village center (2 miles from our farm). I "had" to get gas for both the car and the lawnmower as well as pick up a gallon of milk for breakfast. I think I forgot, or otherwise pretended not to notice, that it was a Friday morning, and thus "changeover" day for the tourists. But they couldn't really be invading our quiet little hamlet, right? I said right?!? Wrong. There clearly was no easy parking in front of the store, around the gas station pumps or on the side of the road. I maneuvered my way to the far left of the store and sidled the car in to a space. Purchasing the milk was no problem. Purchasing the gas was. Both sides of the pump were busy. Fine. No problem. As soon as the pick-up left Pump 1, I turned on the car, and was approaching the pump when a hugely oversized, out-of-state (I won't mention what state so as not to offend relatives) SUV did a veritable J-turn and backed right in (rather gracefully, I must add, for such a behomoth). That's when I took a deep breath. Okay. He probably didn't see me. I could have laid on the horn, but really, that wouldn't have accomplished much. So I continued to sit there. The pick-up at the other pump was without owner; presumably she was inside paying. So I waited. I contemplated whether I really "needed" the gas. I'm sure the lawn wouldn't have minded going another four days without mowing, but I was confident that the grass would soon follow into the natural ecological succession of things, and become "meadow", "shrubland" and then finally "deciduous forest".
So I waited some more. The owner doesn't return to her pick-up. Vehicles continue to manuever in and out of the parking area (I hesitate to call it a lot), and business is obviously booming at the store this morning. The SUV finally finishes gassing up at his spot, and I (with very little grace), get to the pump at last. Meanwhile, pick-up is still without owner, and there are definitely more people waiting for gas. Even if there was a line at the cash register, it wouldn't have taken her this long to pay. Then I notice something out of the corner of my eye. It is the pick-up's owner, and she is chatting with someone at the entrance to the store, cup of coffee in one hand, keys in the other. This is when I am about to blow a gasket. I come very close to saying something, but I don't. As I finish filling my tank and the gas container, she is still chatting away. I drive away, and no sonner have I left the pump, then another individual swoops into my place.
It is true, that I was not in a hurry that day (and neither was the woman with the pick-up apparently). But I was anxious for all those who were. In both the case of the SUV and pick-up, my first reaction was that I couldn't believe how inconsiderate and/or completely oblivious some people can act. But then I reminded myself, that we have all acted in such ways before, and probably will again. Perhaps the incident taught me to be a little bit more flexible, and a little bit more patient. In the long story of life, does it really matter that it took me 15 minutes in our little hamlet to get gas at the general store? No. On the other hand, something truly meaningful or profound may have occurred in the conversation between the pick-up woman and her friend. I don't know, and therefore, I cannot judge; I will simply try to continue to live gracefully.
No comments:
Post a Comment