"...you'd think they could at least offer us some entertainment!"

It really is an addiction. People cannot get enough. Let me share something:

Today I was at Wal-Mart. I was preparing to check out. I passed a lady and heard her say, "If they make us wait in these long ass lines, you'd think they could at least offer us some entertainment!"

Her long line consisted of two people in front of her! She was unscrewing the top off of her carbonated beverage and taking a swig after she said that. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Really?? Really??? You have to wait maybe 4 or 5 minutes in a line, and you are craving something to entertain you??

Now, this is beside the point, but there are magazines there at the checkout. I guess she didn't have a mini-computer aka "multi-media phone" in her pocket to ease the stress of waiting. Oh, the horror of being separated from the tube! Someone call a doctor!

What the heck? People expect to be amused at every hour of the day and complain if there's "nothing to do"?

How about focusing on your breath? How about focus on relaxing your probably tense muscles? How about thinking of someone you care about? How about be thankful it's so easy for you to get food and water while others around the world are lucky to get a cup of rice?

This is the worst thing I've heard in a while, in real life. Really is just bothers me how addicted people are to the desensitizing effect of video screens of any kind. I can't shake my head enough over this...

A pint ain't nearly enough, but a liter makes me bladder run so....

2nd line: One day a lady in a volvo swooped in front of my parked, stationary GTO clone. She dragged the entire side of her car across the sharp headlight bezel of my '67, leaving a gash like on the Titanic on the side of her pristine car. I'm like STOP, stop, please STOP. The scraping went on for many slow seconds. She parked in front of me, in a non parking spot which was someone's driveway, and ran inside a restaurant to pick up her food, while making a phone call on her new portable phone, then came back out with her lunch and some questions for me.

Why did you do that?, she asked.

Do WHAT? You just dragged your car across my fender...

What were you doing here? I was getting my lunch!

Cops, and her husband arrive.

I was ticketed, for God knows what...driving a 30 year old car?


In court, trick questions were thrown at me, such as: is there a center line on xxx street? Why were you sitting in your car if the engine was running?

Very few cellulars were extant at this time, but I learned real fast that whoever calls cops first, wins.

I was not fined or punished, in court, but that doesn't mean they didn't try. I was able to prove that if I had just 'jutted out', as the woman lied, then there would have been actual damage to my car, and a puncture wound on hers, instead of a 15 foot scrape. There was not a scratch on the chrome bezel, and much, much grey paint left from the volvo right behind the unyielding chrome piece. I was just beside myself with inner rage.

What were you doing here? I was getting my lunch.....

It's hard to get into that sort of mindset. I understand that I was being profiled by the woman from inside the restaurant, as she lied to the police about her actions.

Why were you here! I was getting my lunch!!!

Never forget that one. Glad I was in my car when it happened. So was she. That really pissed me off.

Heinlein said it well, in 'Friday'.

How does one know when the fabric of society is disintegrating, Friday?

reply to post by daynight42


I thought smart phones eliminated this problem.

Seriously, some people have no sense of scale.

When I'm in long lines, I go into immediate people watching mode grateful I'm nothing like half of them.

I thought everyone did that!

How do you know how long the line originally was? The lady could have been in the line much longer than you observed. How often does she frequent that store and what is her average wait time?

I myself have been irritated to wait in a line of four or five people in a store with 10 registers and only one register open at any given moment.

I find it weird that a woman that you do not know said something to someone (NOT YOU) that you overheard in passing and it irked you so much that you went home and blogged about it without any facts to support your idea.

Next time try to mind your business and just enjoy YOUR day.

I wonder what you REALLY didn't like about her

reply to post by daynight42


Look at the world we live in. Smart phones. Paparazzis. Microchips. Fast internet. Fast cars. Fast food. It's no wonder we live in one of the most impatient generations - we've been conditioned to get exactly what we want, when we want it. A five minute wait in this world turns most adults into complaining, spoiled children.

reply to post by daynight42


This is so strange I often feel like i have an addiction to entertainment. I allways have to have something on my phone weather it is reading the news or watching youtube. Even when i am in the bath i have youtube on the phone. When i am cleaning in the house i have to have music or or the tv on. I cant bear to be alone with my own thoughts i have to keep myself consantrating on something. Watching tv alone is not enough i have to have the computer or my phone on me reading something. When i go to the shop i phone people so i have someone to talk to. This has really made me think. Even when i go to bed I make up a story in my head and act it out until i fall asleep . It is like i can not let my brain flow naturally. Thinking about this i see this happening with alot of people tecnollogy is takeing over it is an addiction of information. Myself i know the reson i do this is, if i do have time to think i become very anxious and worry my mind makes me think of terrible things that might happen and i have to plan how i will cope with it. It stresses me to a point were i feel i am going mad. Is this the sane for you or anyone else?

reply to post by Allegorical


Hmmmm... No smart phone, I presume?

Honestly, I'm quite certain many of you have NEVER waited in truly long lines, where needed consumer goods were scarce and demand high.

Even 10 deep, on occasion, isn't that big of a deal. Sometimes it just falls that way. If you start demanding stores staff up for maximum possible traffic, I think you can safely assume you'll eventually pay for it.

Finally, if I frequent a place where I receive consistently bad service and where there are alternatives, I just simply go elsewhere.

Problem solved.

Otherwise, I'm back to my people watching mode, thinking how life and its experiences produce so many very odd people.

reply to post by Allegorical


Ah, what?

I too think 3 registers open (when there are 20) in my local w-mart is silly. But that is not the point.
Do you need to "be entertained" every minute of your life? These are the same people who have ruined going to a pro basketball game - the non-stop music (during the game) and over hyped announcers and fake stomp stomp clap baloney that some marketing team came up with all because "WE MUST BE ENTERTAINED EVERY SECOND". How about taking the five minutes in line to reflect on how good you have it that you are buying crap you don't need? Silence is golden.

CJ

reply to post by loam


All spot on. I used to spend afternoons after work sitting on a park bench in Manhattan for an hour or so just to watch people. Typically WAY more entertaining than any tv show.

CJ

reply to post by Allegorical


Probably her disregard of respect or lack of patience. For someone who has worked in retail for so very long, honestly people like YOU make us mad. You are already at the convenience of a CONVENIENT store! And are complaining about WAITING to have someone else check out your stuff for you. It is soooo annoying when customers bitch about their service and waiting. Like who are you to be so important for me to hurry for? Im hurrying for the person in front of you..What makes you better than the next? You are already lucky every one takes care of you. WAIT YOUR DAMN TURN AND DONT COMPLAIN! I wish I could say that to every customer.
Honestly, this mans post makes complete and perfect sense to me. How sad it is that people think it is un natural to wait for anything these days is sad. Do you realize how long people before us didn't have the instant gratification that we do. We are so used to having everything right now, right how we want it, and to be entertained while doing so! And it is SAD! Why not grab a magazine and shut up no matter how many people are in front of you? Just saying. They are just as important, and usually waited just as long as you. People today are sad. I guess we need big screens every where to entertain us even when we go to the restroom, Oh wait, we already have televisions every whereeeee. I think we need to start learning to entertain ourselves and stop depending on everyone else to do so for us.

I wonder if another possibility may explain it? Maybe not...since I agree people seem absolutely desparate without entertainment 24/7.. but..

I've made similar comments and loud enough to be heard by the clerk, when they've been particularly inept..or occasionally a customer in front. It's always for something obvious enough that a vague comment can't me missed by who it's actually very directed at and I've never found they did. Miss it, I mean.

You're probably right though. I wonder how long it'll be until the little electric carts running every which way have video screens on them, too.

reply to post by daynight42


Walmart, nothing says America like Walmart, where you can buy nothing but cheap chinese, sweat shop made crap, that's lucky to last for two weeks. I feel for the poor bastards that have no other option than to work at that sorry, exploitive pinnacle of Capitalism. Did you know that old man Waltons little bastards now have a combined wealth greater than the bottom 1/3rd of the country....the whole country! Sweet huh? Nothing says good old fashioned exploitation and greed like WALMART! America, where the only thing made in America is the chinese food. What a country, yessir ree-bob!

Originally posted by HEYJOSE
reply to post by daynight42

 

America, where the only thing made in America is the chinese food. What a country, yessir ree-bob!

Your whole post is very very true, sad but true! This last statement made my day though!

reply to post by Katharos62191




Yeah, that's pretty damned funny.

Originally posted by Katharos62191

Originally posted by HEYJOSE
reply to post by daynight42

 

America, where the only thing made in America is the chinese food. What a country, yessir ree-bob!

Your whole post is very very true, sad but true! This last statement made my day though!

I am so glad that I made you laugh! I think all we can do now is laugh, cause I don't feel like cryin anymore. Peace to you and all of the best.

Originally posted by daynight42
Today I was at Wal-Mart.

Well, there's your problem.

What makes me sad is this woman has the best possible entertainment and interaction standing next to her! I often wait in queues, I'm British after all, queues are our "thing" rather than crave some sort of video screen the logical solution would be to turn to her queuing neighbour and strike up a conversation. Most people are so absorbed with technology, ipods. phones, television screens, that they forget the most rewarding form of entertainment is just chatting with your fellow man/woman.

I could not even begin to tell you how many times I do this, nearly daily, there are so many interesting people in this world why waste our time in these stressful moments increasing our levels of stress by just focusing on what we deem a problem and not an opportunity.

So in future, and that goes for everyone, just strike up a conversation with someone, you never know who they might be and what you might learn.

reply to post by daynight42


I have my home computer and that's it. No play phone or music player, and I'm just like that customer you speak of. Always have been.

Over the last forty years I've had opportunities to collect unemployment benefits, but the waiting lines have been along the entire length of a wall and then out the door. I can't do those lines. Luckily I've always been able to find a job.

Even today, if I see five people in line at the local store I walk away if I really don't need what I went there for.
Food shopping is the only exception.

Originally posted by ColoradoJens
reply to post by loam

 

All spot on. I used to spend afternoons after work sitting on a park bench in Manhattan for an hour or so just to watch people. Typically WAY more entertaining than any tv show.

CJ

Yep, threw out the tv years ago, watching people in real life is much more fun

Disclaimer up front: I go nuts in lines so I do not go to places with them often. My shortcoming.

I am from the Midwest but now live in DC. That wonderful city which runs on Southern efficiency and Northern hospitality. Waaaaaaay too crowded for me. I truly believe, after some observation, there are a lot of people who honestly do not notice their life winding down as they waste in line after line after line.

As far as the entertainment? Yeah, that sense of entitlement is there a lot too. 'I am bored naive! Dance!"