Cranky or Just Petty
Mrs. C says
I am cranky, maybe… it is just that stupid little things piss me off.
I have almost
learned to accept young people who have to say, “No problem” instead of “You’re
welcome.”
To me, “No
problem” means “It’s OK, I don’t mind doing something for you that I am
paid to do.”
When I say “Thank
you” to a wait person and they say “No problem,” I bite my tongue to
not reply,
“I did
not think it was a problem to bring my order since that is pretty much your job
description.”
Fortunately
Mrs. C has convinced me that “No problem” is the new “You’re welcome”
and I let it slide.
The current aluminum
foil on my tooth fillings is the asshats that work at our Recycle Center.
We can
recycle our plastics, glass and cardboard every Monday and Friday at our center
aptly named “Fort Grumpy.”
I appreciate
that the workers at the center are mostly “Refuse Specialists” (we used to call
them Garbagemen) and working the recycle center is not their favorite
task.
They used to
be pleasant enough, even helpful, but not since the pandemic.
Since the
pandemic they now have to verify upon entry that you are in fact a town
resident, and then assure you wear your mask.
They now also have become refuse Nazi’s, following you around as you
toss your trash making sure there is not an illegal co-mingling of materials.
Give someone
a little power to police and they become asshats.
The other
day I was dumping paper from a plastic bag into the paper bin. The plastic bag does not go in the paper bin,
it is tossed elsewhere.
I know
this.
As I was
removing the paper from the plastic bag a refuse policeman started yelling
from a nearby truck.
“You cumn’t
mumber the bugger wim them pambents!”
“What?”
“You cumn’t
mumber the bugger wim them pambents!”
“Excuse
me?”
“You cumn’t
mumber the bugger wim them pambents!”
“Ok, I won’t
mumber the bugger wim them pambents!...no problem!”
Asshats!
A week ago I
drove into the center.
They used to
have a dude out front checking your ID.
This day the guy was in a different place and he did not appear to be
waiting to check anything. I drove slowly
and he did not make a move, so I continued to drive assuming that checking ID
was not an issue like it was not an issue before the pandemic.
(Apparently due to the pandemic there is a fear of people from other
townships using our recycle center.)
He gave no
indication that he was concerned until he ran after me screaming,
“Stop, where do you think you are going?”
I stopped
and flashed my license proving I was not a criminal while he lectured me about
not obeying his non-existent instructions. (There is a sign so…)
Today I
drove into the center and the same asshat was waiting. I stopped, showed him my license and he went
over it with a fine tooth comb assuring I was not a miscreant trying to drop
Old Bridge refuse in the Sayreville refuse center.
Of course with
a face mask there is no way he could verify it was my picture, but he went
through the process anyway before grunting,
“Straight
ahead” while
pointing straight ahead.
I felt he
could have just said, “Thank you.”
I wanted to
reply back.
“Really,
straight ahead? Not turn around and go
home as that would be the only other option?”
Instead I
just told him,
“No
problem.”
He is a
young guy. Probably does not know that “No
problem” is not today's “Thank you” or “You’re welcome,” but
is in reality, Old Peoples',
“Go
fuck yourself!”
Made me feel
better.
