Call Me the Clay

Random Monday….Here are just some very random thoughts for today – mainly because I am in the mood to post something – but have no real topic to discuss at the moment.  Bear with me please…

I often find myself concerned that our society simply has no common sense anymore.  It seems no one uses their head and I wonder what has happened.  Examples:

I was headed to work this morning – rush hour traffic on the interstate headed into downtown.  I’m sure you can imagine the hectic routine.  So we start seeing the construction warning signs way in advance telling us that the left lane is closed ahead.  When that happens people start getting a bit more cautious, you see more brake lights as drivers get a bit jumpy in anticipation – and yet, until it is actually visible – people still continue to drive in all 3 lanes.

However, this morning apparently some lady’s car dies in the middle lane (before the actual construction work is visible).  So cars are now getting backed up behind her (she has NO hazard lights on).  People who are already skittish about the upcoming construction work are slamming their brakes at every little thing as it is.  I notice about 6 vehicles stopped behind her and one person swerves suddenly to miss smashing into the last one.  He/she barely makes it into the left lane without taking out the vehicle there. It was heart-stopping.

But this is the aggravating part of it – as I get around that congestion – I look back in my rear-view mirror and see that lady in the stalled vehicle waving her arms and evidently trying to tell the person behind her to go around her.  She is acting like he/she behind her is and imbecile for not going around.  Seriously?  First of all – if it weren’t for the line backing up behind her – she very well could be dead as I’m sure someone would hit her since she had no hazard lights on.  And second, as cars are flying by you on both your left and your right – it is a bit difficult for someone to simply pull out around you and not get hit.  I sure hope everyone made it out of that mess okay.

Okay – I may have mentioned this one before, I can’t recall.  But there is a local gas war going on in our town – and it’s getting a bit exciting, actually.  But that is not my point.  Needless to say, the place that has been running the lowest gas prices has lines of vehicles waiting to fill up.  On our way out of town for our vacation last month, we stopped there.  As we were waiting in line, I decide that I will go inside and get a bottle of water.

While inside I hear the two employees commenting on how they are so sick of people being upset at them and that it is not their fault that the credit card machine is not working.  So when I get up there, I tell them that I overheard and was wondering – does that mean the gas pumps too?  I ask this because I had noticed people at the pumps appearing to be frustrated while waiting for their cards to work.  They said ‘Yes – and it is not just here, but all Valero stations/stores.’

I then go outside and tell all the people standing at the pumps getting madder by the minute.  But really, people, what do you think would save the employees all of the hassle and disgruntled customer reactions?  How about putting signs up on the pumps stating that the card machines are not working!?

Third – I am not a donut person, but as a treat every now and then I sometimes take my son to the local Donut Stop to get him a couple to take with him for snack.  This place has two windows on the same side of the building.  However there is no rhyme or reason to their method of taking your order.  Some days you stop at the first window and someone will take your order, take your money and give your order thru that same window.  Some days you stop there at the first window and they will either run over to that one and ask you to move to the second window or they may wave their hand out the second window to get you to pull up there.  Other days they do like the typical fast food drive through in taking your order at the first and then asking you to pick up at the second.

It just seems to me like it would make life simpler on themselves and their customers if they would decide on one method.  And there is this little thing called a sign that could tell you to go to the second window if they were not going to be at the first window.

Fourth – when my daughter was younger, I was constantly trying to get her to understand that she needed to ‘think ahead’ about the consequences of her actions or ‘plan’ for what was going to be next when doing something.  For example, in the morning when you are finished getting your clothes on, you should also put your shoes on so you are ready to walk out the door (alleviates everyone standing with their arms full waiting for you to get them on).

I honestly do not remember what the specific thing was that my daughter was doing now – but I do remember her words.  One day while I was in the kitchen she came in and announced that she did it.  ‘Did what?’ was my reply.  ‘I finally did what you have been telling me!  I thought ahead and was able to avoid (whatever crisis it was at the time)!’  I didn’t really know what to say for a moment – but that didn’t matter, she was excited because now she knew what I meant.

I was amazed and struck at how somewhere along the line through the generations we as a society have lost something.  I say this because I don’t recall my parents ever ‘teaching’ me to think things through or to look beyond the end of my own nose.  It is just what you did.  It is kind of like drinking cleaning supplies or poisons under the sink.  My parents didn’t lock everything up in the cabinets and I never knew anyone who did.  But now we do because for some unknown reason kids think they need to drink or eat stuff like that.

Could it be that we are living in such a fast-paced world that we have no time to think anymore?  Is it because there are more and more families must rely on 2-parent incomes and so our children are carted off to be cared for by others?  Could be that back in the day, kids learned from the elderly in the family and chores were assigned and consequences were doled out?  Just wondering….

I don’t know….