planetdan

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 :::

The Xmas Spirit

Best Xmas card ever:

[see the large version here]

I really like xmas. I like shopping for gifts. I like tacky decorations. I like knowing that a good portion of the world's population is doing the exact same thing, listening to the exact same music, and feeling the exact same nostalgia as I am. I like that so many people can keep an idea like Santa Claus afloat for so many years without forming a religion around him. Unless you consider consumerism a religion, I guess. But heck, sometimes I like consumerism, too.

Sometimes I don't like people, though. I was at Target on Christmas Eve buying a few last minute items. As I stood in the express check-out line, the elderly man behind me tapped my shoulder.

Elderly Man: Excuse me, young man.
Me: Yes?
Elderly Man: You went in front of me.
Me: Excuse me?
Elderly Man: You went in front of me to get in line.
Me: I did?
Elderly Man: Yes, back there.

He was pointing toward the housewares department. Granted, it was right across from the checkout section and a direct shot to the lane I was standing in, but he was making it sound like I was just cutting in line when in fact I had passed him in an unrelated shopping aisle a good twenty feet back. Was I really supposed to know that the slow old man I was briskly passing was headed to the same checkout counter as I was? Should I take to remaining behind elderly people at all times while shopping, just in case they are headed to the same destination as I am, lest be accused of budding? And since that was a rhetorical question, what exactly is the etiquette for appeasing a crazy old man?

Being the xmas season (and seeing as how the cashier was giving me a dirty look by this point), I apologized and let him ahead of me in line. But afterwards I felt taken advantage of. It's not like he was crippled or pregnant. Do I really have to give up my place in line for some lazy coot just because he happens to be elderly? Eff that. He was lucky I was in the xmas spirit. And he better think twice before trying that shit again with me in a non-xmas environment.

PS. Speaking of the xmas spirit, Cherry Nut wanted to buy this for you for xmas, but she didn't have your shipping address.

::: posted by dan at 12:25 PM :: [ link ] :: (6) comments

Comments are Closed On this Post

6 previous comments:

Tell Cherry Nut I already have one.

By

Anonymous, at 10:03 PM

Most old people I like, but there are that select few that feel that their age entitles them to things. Managing to stay alive shouldn't really grant you extra rights than the ordinary citizen. So you're 70. Big deal. I had to grow up in the 80s and 90s, you grew up in a kinder, gentler age. I win.

I had a lady behind me today (in a VERY long line in a VERY hot store) while I was buying XBOX controllers for my husband and when the clerk asked who was next she pushed her way in front of me and started to speak, but her 8 year old son looked at the guy and said "She was first, mom". I think the kids of today are A-OK.

By

Daph, at 12:26 AM

Now that's pretty maccabre - dead kids piled up under the tree. But hey, I guess xmas presents have rights and feelings, too, to be politically correct...

I was listening to the your xmas music mix and I thought i'd translate the German from Still Still Still:

"Schlaf mein liebes Kindlein schlaf.
Die Engelein tun schön musizieren"

means

"Sleep my lovely child, sleep. The angels are making beautiful music"

Very nice mix btw - too bad I didn't get to listening to it before xmas. it's the 27th now sheesh...

By

Richard, at 7:30 AM

For some reason I am tolerant of any kind of treatment from anyone over the age of 70... their temperment and point of view seems to be a product of some kind of degenerative imparment rather than just being dumb...
Some woman in a truck and a shirt that was unseasonable for December in MN gave me the finger on Christmas eve day though...who gives someone the finger on Christmas? Yuck

By

Stacy, at 5:36 PM

Reminds me of the old people and very not so old people on those carts in the store, they think because they are on one, they have free reign and YOU better move,pisses me off.

By

Anonymous, at 10:25 PM

Hehe.. did Cherry Nut buy 'them' all? Link says now 'Item not found or inactive'

By

European Dream, at 4:11 PM

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