What is it with people who have no consideration for others? I’ve noticed that either you are considerate or you are not. Some people were just raised with no manners I guess.
I think I was just brought up right. My Mom always said we were perfect angles growing up. We weren’t overly noisy kids, didn’t make messes in restaurants or break things in other people’s homes. She was never embarrassed or afraid to bring us anywhere. We had manners, she taught us well.
So one day last week I’m sitting at a restaurant, a fairly nice restaurant, with my Mom one afternoon for lunch. There were maybe 10 other parties in the place. And there was this group of about 8 people that had 2 kids. And the kids were just screaming, babbling, yelling, crying, and banging the silverware...it was completely annoying. They were so loud we could not carry on a conversation because we couldn’t hear ourselves speak. My blessed Mother, mid-conversation suddenly yells...”QUIET!”. I was so astonished that she, the Queen of Manners, let them have it. I burst out laughing while simultaneously ducking down in my seat. I peered around and saw that every other patron had a huge smile on their face and was giggling under their breath. A couple of them even clapped. She did what all of them wanted to do. The noisy table was suddenly quiet. Now why couldn’t the manager have come over and asked them to be quiet? For that matter, why weren’t the parents shutting their kids up? Why do people with little children think that it’s just fine to bring them to a restaurant or bar or store and let them behave so poorly? I pay good, hard-to-come-by, money to go out to eat, I really don’t want to share my experience with these rude family’s. You want to bring your kids to a restaurant, go to a kid-friendly place like McDonalds or Chucky Cheese. Don't make the rest of us suffer because you think your kids are cute. Trust me you are the only ones that do.
And this goes for neighbors too. In my neighborhood there are several homes with pools. Mostly above ground pools. I’ve grown to hate these people. Not only do these monstrosities look bad and bring my property value down, I have to listen to the ungodly screams of their kids playing. You know the screams I’m talking about too, the high-pitched shrill screams of the little girls that could break glass and the loud grunts of the boys. I live on a pond, and sounds carry quite easily. All summer long I have to listen to these kids. I can’t hear my TV or hear myself think for that matter with the incessant screams going on. I don’t think I should have to shut my windows on a beautiful day because the parents won’t discipline their kids. I have literally screamed out my patio door in desperation, “QUIT THE DAMN SCREAMING!” I guess I have a bit of my Mother in me too. I’ve considered calling the police, I’ve considered a petition to ban screaming kids. I’ve considered recording their screams and standing in front of their house with a boom box on full blast playing back the joyous little sounds of their kids. I kind of like that idea best. Too passive aggressive? Maybe. But... I don’t do any of those things, because why? Because I was raised with manners, I am just not that inconsiderate.
I think I was just brought up right. My Mom always said we were perfect angles growing up. We weren’t overly noisy kids, didn’t make messes in restaurants or break things in other people’s homes. She was never embarrassed or afraid to bring us anywhere. We had manners, she taught us well.
So one day last week I’m sitting at a restaurant, a fairly nice restaurant, with my Mom one afternoon for lunch. There were maybe 10 other parties in the place. And there was this group of about 8 people that had 2 kids. And the kids were just screaming, babbling, yelling, crying, and banging the silverware...it was completely annoying. They were so loud we could not carry on a conversation because we couldn’t hear ourselves speak. My blessed Mother, mid-conversation suddenly yells...”QUIET!”. I was so astonished that she, the Queen of Manners, let them have it. I burst out laughing while simultaneously ducking down in my seat. I peered around and saw that every other patron had a huge smile on their face and was giggling under their breath. A couple of them even clapped. She did what all of them wanted to do. The noisy table was suddenly quiet. Now why couldn’t the manager have come over and asked them to be quiet? For that matter, why weren’t the parents shutting their kids up? Why do people with little children think that it’s just fine to bring them to a restaurant or bar or store and let them behave so poorly? I pay good, hard-to-come-by, money to go out to eat, I really don’t want to share my experience with these rude family’s. You want to bring your kids to a restaurant, go to a kid-friendly place like McDonalds or Chucky Cheese. Don't make the rest of us suffer because you think your kids are cute. Trust me you are the only ones that do.
And this goes for neighbors too. In my neighborhood there are several homes with pools. Mostly above ground pools. I’ve grown to hate these people. Not only do these monstrosities look bad and bring my property value down, I have to listen to the ungodly screams of their kids playing. You know the screams I’m talking about too, the high-pitched shrill screams of the little girls that could break glass and the loud grunts of the boys. I live on a pond, and sounds carry quite easily. All summer long I have to listen to these kids. I can’t hear my TV or hear myself think for that matter with the incessant screams going on. I don’t think I should have to shut my windows on a beautiful day because the parents won’t discipline their kids. I have literally screamed out my patio door in desperation, “QUIT THE DAMN SCREAMING!” I guess I have a bit of my Mother in me too. I’ve considered calling the police, I’ve considered a petition to ban screaming kids. I’ve considered recording their screams and standing in front of their house with a boom box on full blast playing back the joyous little sounds of their kids. I kind of like that idea best. Too passive aggressive? Maybe. But... I don’t do any of those things, because why? Because I was raised with manners, I am just not that inconsiderate.
