What-ever

I’m realizing that I have a lack of tolerance. I am allowing things that annoy me to take control. I want to fix it all right then.

Saturday night, I divulged this to my friend, Randi, when my husband, Hank, and I were out to dinner with her and her husband, Stan.

“I’ve noticed that I have no patience with anything that annoys me,” I told them. “Is this an age thing?”

Randi weighed in straightaway. She relayed what had happened to her at Barney’s that afternoon. “The saleswoman said my gift card had expired and I knew they’d honor it so I asked for the manager.”

She swiped at her bangs that had rested on her lashes. “Next to me was this young woman. And, I’m sure, she was just ‘what-ever, lady.’”

I laughed, knowing I’d do the same thing. And, if that didn’t work, I’d ask for the manager’s manager.

Our husbands went back to their own conversation as Randi and I continued.

“Heath,” she said, “I used to be that girl. The one who said ‘what-ever.’ In fact, I remember looking at women like me and thinking I’ll never be like that.”

“Randi, I’m so not ‘what-ever’ these days. There are all these annoying things that get to me and it’s as if I’m the Annoying Police. I want to right every wrong.”

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I started to count all the things that irritated me the following Monday. By two o’clock in the afternoon, I already racked up six!

 - Someone slipped into the parking spot I was waiting for – with my indicator on signaling that I’d claimed the spot.

 - I bought a bagel at the bagel shop and before I’d even had a chance to zip up my wallet at the register, a space invader inched me away.  I looked at her with a nasty hold-on-you-nut-I’m-just-zipping-my-wallet look.

 - Saw someone texting while driving next to me. I wagged a finger at them. “Tsk! Tsk!”

 - I held open the door for someone at the Optical Shop and they were oblivious. “You’re welcome,” I said, after they passed through without a word or a nod.

 - A man tapped a text on his iPhone beside me in an elevator with that awful click-click sound. I had to restrain myself not to say: “Turn your darn sound off!”

 - A young woman in a silver Camry tailgated me on the Freeway on my way home. I slowed to 60 just to “get” her.

Some say this lack of tolerance is sensitivity to little annoyances that others don’t share.  

But, I don’t like this in me. It’s entitled. As if I’m trying to set the world straight. Is it age, though? Less tolerance for something little that annoys you? I don’t remember being like this when I was younger, but perhaps I was, but just too busy raising a family to notice.

I’ve decided to break it. Not like I’m going to compromise my values and not stand up for what is fair. If I need to speak to a manager, I’ll do it. But if the kitchen cabinets are left open, I’ll just close them. If I see someone texting and driving, I’ll be alert, keep away from them, and be done with it. 

I’m going to channel that young woman at Barney’s.

Those annoying little things…What-ever.