What's Eating Me? I'll Tell You

I Think My Life is a Bowl of Cherries Has Sprung a Leak

Sometimes even the most optimistic of us wonder why life seems to be dealing off the bottom of the deck to us. We plan our day only to have these little irritations grind on us until we finally blow. I decided to make a little list of some of my pet peeves.

The Nonchalant Person in the Checkout Line. You're behind someone in line at a grocery store who has bought a cart full of groceries, each one scanned individually. The person in front of you is talking on a cell phone, glancing around at people coming in and out of the store or just staring off into space like they're pondering the mystery of life. The cashier turns to the person with the amount due, and then and only then does the person begin to dig through their purse or pocket for payment. My favorite is the person writing a check who has not begun to write out the check, but must first borrow a pen.

The Cell Phone Chatter at a Stop Light. Let's face it, some people can't chew gum and walk at the same time, so what makes them think they can concentrate on a cell phone conversation and still grasp the flow of traffic. You've been there. The light turns green, and they're texting that important message to a counterpart or discussing important strategies on how to save the planet. It makes you wonder how people survived when they couldn't keep track of each other on a minute-by-minute basis.

The McDonald's Menu Reader. This happens inside and in the drive-through window. McDonald's rarely changes their menu items, but inevitably, someone who has planned to come to McDonald's for lunch or breakfast will stop and read the same items they've looked at dozens of times before. Come on, people, you drove all the way here. Try to plan ahead a little.

The I'm Right and You're Wrong Person.Some people must always be right no matter how trivial the subject. They will use whatever means to convince you they are right and you are not. If that means raising their voice, then they'll begin to shout. If it means repeating the same thing over and over, they'll gladly do that. And even more frustrating, they must know that you truly believe they're right. You can't just say you agree. It's like they want a blood oath.