Obliviots

You know who I mean. Those oblivious idiots who believe the world revolves around them and don't care that anything they do might affect someone else. You see them most often out in retail establishments, standing in the middle of the aisle with their cart angled across the aisle blocking the entire aisle, coming to a dead stop in the middle of the doorway into or out of the store, rearranging their entire pocket book at the register, etc.

They often travel in packs of obliviots and raise obliviot kids to boot. We were in Target last weekend and just as I started to walk down one of the main, 10 foot wide, aisles a group of about 3-4 adults and 3-4 kids came out of one of the side aisles and spread themselves completely across the wide aisle, all of them stopping and circling and looking around. What they were looking for I have no idea, as half of them were looking at the ceiling, but what they were not looking for was whether there was anyone else around them that might like to, oh, you know, walk down the aisle?

And if you say something, even something polite, they usually have the gall to suggest, either in words or mannerisms, that you are the one being rude. I was in the grocery store a week before Christmas with my daughter and mother-in-law. As we were attempting to leave the store, two women in front of us decided they had to stop dead in the doorway to adjust their hats and scarves before going outside. Meanwhile, there were people accumulating behind us and others trying to get into the store, all being blocked by these two people who must have had some seriously complicated hats and scarves. Finally, I politely, but firmly, said "Excuse us please". I probably said it a little loudly as well, because well they're obliviots, if I didn't say it loud enough they wouldn't have realized I was talking to them now would they? It still took a minute to register that I was in fact talking to them, and then the evil looks and muttering started as they oh so slowly made their way out the door, glaring back at me at least twice in the process. 

I really try to be patient when I'm in public, really I do, and for the most part I usually succeed. Sure I look for the shortest checkout line, but once I've chosen one I stick with it & don't line hop. I wait patiently for my turn so long as progress is being made, even slow progress. I may grind my teeth at people who don't think things like 15 items or less apply to them, but unless their 15 is really 50 I keep my mouth shut. But there are times my patience is tried and the mouth just won't stay shut. I've never gone off on anyone…yet, but I've been known to make a comment or two, either directly to the person or to whomever might be with me at the time.

It does no good though. There will always be obliviots in this world, I just hope you're not one of them.