If you think about it, even those of us who don't normally discriminate, judge, or 'size up' other people, are guilty of it at some point in their lives.
Example - Tattoos
My husband is a General Contractor; a trusted & loved one at that. His customers range from a sweet 80 year old couple who trust him with their secret hiding spot for their house key, to a popular hat/clothing company FULL of warehouse merchandise, where the owners are giving him their alarm code so he can lock up when he is done building their new offices.
My husband also has full sleeves of tattoos. He knows that some may judge, so when he is meeting a potential client for the first time he wears a long sleeve shirt...........just in case.
One time I was home alone during the day, and I heard the doorbell ring. I HATE when the doorbell rings on a weekday when no one is home with me. I instantly tip toe to the door, and peer through the peep hole.
It could be a mass murderer as far as I am concerned, so I tip toe (quickly) to the back room and call my husband.
"Honey! There is some scary guy ringing the door bell. Were you expecting anyone today, and forgot to tell them you weren't gonna be home?"
"No.... Why?"
"Well, there is some weird looking guy at the front door. Shaved head, goatee, tattoos, and like a dirty construction worker shirt on........ I'm SCARED!"
"Well, Babe, he is probably just some door to door home repair guy dropping off flyers. Just don't answer the door. Oh, and Babe......"
"Yeah"
"You know you just described me head to toe right?"
Uhhhhh
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| My husband getting a group hug from all three of our girls after giving them money to get ice cream at the camp store. |
But just as there is judging in the world of people who don't fit societies standards of a 'normal, nice, innocent' looking person. There is a different kind of judgement that goes on. Reverse judging!
The kind where you look at someone and think WOW they sure seem:
- pleasant
- perfect
- nice
- sweet
- innocent
- shy
- quiet
- responsible
- good natured
- list could go on
I will set the scene for you
Let me go back to the beginning
I was born in 1974, my parents.......
Oh
Not that beginning
We were out of bread, so I took my more than eager (almost licensed) daughter to the store. Kill two birds with one stone. She could practice driving, and also run in for me as I was already in my slippers and jammies for the night. Don't judge! It was one of those days.
So I gave the little grocery list to my daughters, and sat daydreaming out the window, enjoying the rain.
Just people watching.
Just people watching.
Elderly couples walking arm in arm, as the husband chivalrously holds the umbrella over his wife.
Mothers shielding their little ones from the sprinkles above.
Men jumping in their car, with their 12 pack of beer after a long day at work.
And this woman
She was actually parked right in front of my daughters car. I watched her unload her groceries from the cart, and put them in the trunk of her mini van.She had auburn hair that she wore in a shoulder length bob. I remember chuckling to myself that her green sweater matched the color of her van. At one point she even turned her head a bit, and I could see that she was smiling.........for no reason, as she did not have anyone with her. Then I waited for it........my personal favorite past time. Waging a personal bet in my own head, as to whether or not a person will put their cart away, or just leave it in the middle of the lot, having no care for the car it will roll into 3 minutes later.
Wait for it
Waaaaaiiiiiiitttttt for it
Waaaaaiiiiiiiiittttttttttttt foooooorrrrrrrrrr ittttttt!
WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAA
Ahhhhhhhhhhh
She is one of the good ones!
She walked her cart back to the receptacle.
One small leap for PTO mom,
One Giant Leap for Momkind
(or whatever, but you get my point)
I sat up a little more erect in my seat.
I was a bit more elated when it came to the state of humanity all over the world.
I was whistling the tune to 'Singing In The Rain'
I was
GAG!!!!
Again.......You get my point.
People are nice, they put their carts back, and the personal Cart Placing Poker Bet I placed in my own head was holding a Royal Flush.
Then I witnessed what can only be described as a horrific crime against my town.
That bob hairstyle sporting, green sweater wearing, slightly plump in a jolly way, cart putting back, minivan driving lady did something that I usually stumble upon in parking lots and wonder
'WHO THE HELL WOULD DO THIS!'
'LAZY ASS, GOOD FOR NOTHING'
(and here is where the judging comes in)
'LAZY ASS'
- Teenagers
- White Trash
- Homeless Car Living Tweakers
- Probably the losers in front of me in line with the 10 screaming kids.
The 'sweet' lady started to pull away, and then stopped. I looked up; again, people watching. I wondered if maybe she forgot something, or was maybe waiting for another car to pull out, but then I saw her drivers side door open, and her body lean out. For a split second it reminded of the same position used by someone who drank WAAAAAYYYYYYY too much on New Years Eve, spent the night at a friends house, woke up first thing in the morning, jumped in her car to head home, but had to keep pulling over every ten minutes to stick her upper body out of the car so that she could throw up the last bit of remaining chunks left in her hungover & ashamed little soul. A bit off track, but I have heard that could happen. Not that I would know.
Anyways, 'sweet, jolly, plump lady' opened her car door, and stuck her Jack in the Box cup full of trash right smack dab in the middle of the parking space.
I have no words people. No words, only sadness.
Really? Really, did you think I had No Words?
I have a few.
This, my friends, is what I call Reverse Discrimination. See, usually when I walk through a parking lot and look down to see that someone has cleaned out their car, and used the asphalt as a trash can, I tend to blame it on a variety of individuals. Use your imagination.
But none of the individuals conjured up in my head ever match the description of a sweater wearing minivan driving middle aged woman.
Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover can work both ways.
I am speechless.
ReplyDeleteCan this be a sum total thing? How about for every time I put away the cart and throw my garbage in the outside bin, I get 20 points.
And then you can deduct like 5 points every time (perhaps once a year) that I just can't take another sticky sucker stick glued to my front seat and toss it out the window in disgust.
I've learned to not judge a book by the cover. My husband looks super-duper mean. Yet he gives his gloves to homeless people. I look really nice, and I yell at the homeless people who follow me down the street looking for a quarter.
I'm banking on Joe getting us to heaven.
Yes, for you, sum total works. Hell, it'll work for me too. I am definitely far from perfect. I may not clean my car out in parking lots, but I have done other things that may give Satan himself a little chuckle.
DeleteBut God outbid Satan on ebay, He is the lucky winner of one little JR.
Horrifying! She should be hang, drawn and quartered!!
ReplyDeleteAnd do mass murderers usually ring the bell before they get all stabby? Need to know for future reference.
Mass murderers most certainly could be posing as burly construction workers. Hey, you never know. Good to always be on the side of caution ;)
DeleteSorry, but I am stuck on the mass murders ringing the door bell first!
ReplyDeleteA polite Mass Murderer.......Maybe? Although, I do have a NO Soliciting sign. Didn't he see that. Those signs keep the bad guys away right?
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