Things I Don't Get: Blah Blah Blah

Today was both a hit and a miss... Let's talk about the downside of it, shall we? It just still keeps coming back in my head, so hopefully adding an entry today will help it flow out of my mind.

It's like everyone is telling me off... Not a fun feeling whatsoever

Have you ever entered a store and be told that you were not welcome? Well my story goes along the lines of that, but maybe not that extreme.

So I had work today, and for a certain time of the day, they are not open. Instead of taking an hour of my time to go home and back to work (that's already 2 hours of public transit!) I decide to study at the nearby coffee shop.

I went inside the shop, found a seat, and pulled out my books... Just when I was about to open the book, the manager came to me and asked if I was waiting for someone. I said no, and she told me to move because she pointed at some people and said they wanted this specific seat. This I will admit: my response was idiotic. In a situation like this, I just laughed it off since I thought it was odd that such specific people had to have where I was sitting.

Luckily, the next table was free. I left my belongings there, used the washroom, and this is where it got interesting. There was a elderly man who was seated in the other seat, with the rest of my belongings across from him. I thought, 'OK, we can share the table,' and I don't mind - after all, there is limited seating. Once again, when I pull out everything onto the table then he tells me that I can't sit here mainly for the reason that I didn't purchase anything from the store.

Although his point does make sense, the first initial thought that came to mind was utter frustration. It's not that he had a valid point, it's the fact that he was cruel about the situation, judging that I was stupid for not getting it the first time... It would have been clear if the manager (who was going on break) would have stated that in the beginning RATHER than pointing at three people who just wanted the table.

I really wanted to run my mouth on him, but he was already being... colourful about it. And here are my main reasons why:

1. He's old
2. He did have a purchased product in his hand

Reason #2, I can't argue with. But with Reason #1, I found very interesting. In my Linguistics class, I learned that old people begin to talk however they want because really, they've already done it all. So, they can be obnoxious and crazy much as they want because hey, they have done their work and all they need is coffee... At least, that's how I'll put it. Just to clarify my point: children and elderly people have the least evolved speech patterns, which makes sense since children are beginning to learn and the elderly, well, get to be free as they please.

But this isn't the first time this has happened (by that, I mean a complete stranger sitting at the table I was sitting at). Is that considered rude, or just an action of a person taking a stand to make a point? I'm probably blowing the whole situation out of proportion, but it really gets me thinking how people perceive the city as a whole. Just with one bad experience, do we tend to judge the city by that one time, or do we choose to let it slide?

Not all was lost, the coffee shop was right next to the book store, and I finally got to do my homework (yay!) I guess it all comes down to this: I was there two weeks ago, I didn't buy anything until about 2 hours later. Although I eventually purchased a drink, the point is that I didn't have to buy anything prior to the time I bought a product, and no one cared. I mean, seriously, and it was a weekend. It was much busier than today.

When I went back to work, there was a car that was turning left when a sign said he wasn't allowed to during certain times. The car behind him honked furiously, but he ignored the sounds. The only sound he seem to pay attention to: a screaming pedestrian who said that the honking car was making a point.

This gets me thinking: when do people start to take action, and why? Does it make them feel better ? Is it all for one thing (in my case, a seat in the coffee shop?) Whatever the reason being, it's just odd how much people care about situations they are not even involved in... Makes me wonder how many people eavesdrop into problems that are not even a problem to them.

Last note: the people who took the first seat I was settled in, one was in a wheel chair. This still doesn't explain the behaviour of the old man, but at least it made sense why the manager told me to move elsewhere... Just didn't think it meant out of the shop though ._.