And then, the stench of cigarette smoke. Really, old woman? It's 6:30 AM and you're waiting at the bus stop and puffing hard on your cigarette in a valiant effort to burn it down before the bus comes?
She blew out a big puff right in my face as I ran by. Seriously? In an obvious show of displeasure, I waved my hand back and forth in front of my nose and picked up the pace. Ugh. She probably thought I was as nuts as I thought she was... different planets that we live on in this little Hawaiian town...
I managed to let it go with just a shake of my head. Focus on the run ahead.
I finished my workout at the local high school track just as the students are arriving on campus. Some are hanging out in their little cliques waiting for the bell to ring... others are still making their way toward the school... swarming the sidewalks. It's my job to pick my way through them as I jog home and I feel like a fish swimming upstream.
Up ahead I see a punk looking kid. Probably 17. Looking oh so cool smoking his cigarette as he swaggers. Immediately I sense that this kid has never been taught any manners, let alone respect for his elders (and yes, at 35, I am his elder). We lock eyes as I run straight toward him. I'm on the edge of the sidewalk, unable to step off into the road unless I want to become the next headline reading "Pedestrian Killed By Oncoming Vehicle..."
I was hoping that my stare would intimidate him enough that he would move slightly to his right so that I could pass by without having to step into the street. We are staring each other down. This guy isn't budging- he just continues walking his straight line right toward me. Finally, when we're about a foot away from each other, I motion to him to move over while verbally instructing him to do so as well.
Punk clearly isn't interested in giving me any room to run by, but I'm not interested in becoming roadkill on this Tuesday morning, so we pass by with a pretty solid bump of the shoulders. Seriously, cool guy?
I was so disgusted by this kid's lack of common courtesy and respect. I spent the rest of my run home vowing to myself that Moana will never act like that. Mama's gonna teach her daughter some manners...
10 comments:
I ran by someone smoking on the running path the other day, grrrr, not a fan.
I also have encountered many people without manners lately (actually planned on doing a post about it) its sooo frustrating! Your little girl will have the best manners :)
Smoke is awful no matter where you are. Yuck. But highschoolers these days need manners. Much of it does come from us parents. Alot of slacker parents out there!
It used to drive me crazy to run by smokers in the city. One perk of the suburbs I guess. And I know exactly the kind of kid you are talking about. Good for you not getting out of his way.
Was this morning your run test?
punk ass kid needs his ass kicked. (i love my job, really.)
Urgh!!! Smoke - horrid most of the time, 10 times worse on a run.
I'm with you on all you say, nothing more annoying than discourteous people and smokers, so irritating and filthy and more than anything, really very pointless! I bet you got home quicker than normal though, wound up in your anger to clock a few seconds a mile faster :)
With all the info about smoking, I still can't believe people still do it.
I hate teenagers. There I said it. They drive me crazy.
Uh, I completely understand...I'm living in "tobacco road" you know. Especially on a hot, humid day....ick.
Don't even get me started. When I am out running (and I often have to run through a lot of foot traffic - I like to think it keeps me on my toes!) and run past someone who is blowing smoke all over the place, as I am passing them I start doing that loud fake cough to let them know that what they just did was not cool. Unfortunately (as indicated by the guy you mentioned in your blog) personal shame seems to be non-existent these days and therefore not a deterrent! My concern is the number of women I see smoking. I mean if it was the fifties I could understand it, but it's the 21st Century!
Post a Comment