I ran into a major traffic jam in the parking lot of my local grocery store the other day. There were 15/16 cars halted directly in front of the main entrance and nobody could seem to figure out what to do next. I finally got to my favorite spot “away” from the store, parked, and headed in to do my little bit of shopping. On the way I discovered the root cause of the traffic problem, there was an upscale Audi parked in the pedestrian crosswalk directly in front of the main entrance to the store. The driver’s seat was empty and in the passenger seat was a yuppie looking young lady (daughter?) madly texting away on a cell phone.
Not being in any particular hurry, I plopped down on a bench beside the entryway to see what would come of this. The jostling and jiggling of the traffic continued for the next 13 minutes and 28 seconds accompanied by hand waving, vocalizations, and horn honking. Ultimately, a very yuppie, well kempt, mid-aged woman (mother?) strolled out of the store and alit in the Audi. I don’t know what she had been doing inside the store, but she wasn’t carrying anything other than a small purse and certainly didn’t look handicapped. She calmly started her car and drove off apparently completely oblivious to the irritation she had caused several dozens of people who had just wanted to go to the store.
This “Bimbo” had blocked a pedestrian crosswalk, two lanes of traffic, and a plainly posted fire lane because she obviously was too privileged and lazy to walk 50 feet from a real parking space to the store. “Class” is not a matter of how you’re dressed or what you own, it is a matter of what you do and how you treat others. Apparently this woman is, in her own mind, so important that the inconvenience she causes the rest of us “little people” is of no consequence.
I was mildly irritated and momentarily inclined to say something rude to this “cow” but was diverted by the realization that whatever I had to say would be to no effect and of little utility. I imagined explaining the wonder of opera to one or more of the bovines kept on my neighbor’s farm. I’m sure both the reaction and level of understanding would be comparable in both cases.
My only regret was the lesson or lessons the young lady in the car would take away from this event. Of course I’m assuming she was not as self centered and oblivious as her companion. I have always been faulted for being nicer to people than they deserve.