I mean, really. Can we all just take a step back, breathe…and settle down?
I drove to Santa Monica this morning for a meeting on what was a truly glorious morning in Southern California - a real stunner. Brilliant blue cloudless sky, a teal blue Pacific Ocean with whitecaps, the autumn wind stirring things up, I mean really stirring things up. Including people. All this gorgeous morning, I saw people screaming at each other, cutting each other off in traffic, honking, yelling, and I wondered…where is all the anger in the world coming from right now? Californians are usually polite to each other. We are not “honkers”, generally speaking. We always give the right of way to pedestrians, even when they are clearly wrong. It’s just part of our culture. So what if we’re phony and botoxed up the ying-yang. At least we’re polite.
But not today. Whew, today I felt like I was in Manhattan at rush hour. Driving through hippy dippy mellow Topanga Canyon, two teenagers darted across the road right in front of me causing me to brake, then I came to a stop to make sure there weren’t any more “darters” coming, at which point the SUV behind me lays on the horn. Hey dude, this is Topanga okay? We don’t run people over here, so why don’t you just roll up a fatty and chill out, okay?
As I drove into the heart of Santa Monica, I saw a guy whiz around the corner right through the crosswalk with a devilish look in his eye Yeah that’s right, blonde housewife with your yoga mat, walking your damn Chihuahua across Santa Monica Blvd., you better jump up on the curb! To which said blonde lady screamed ARE YOU F*CKING BLIND? Oh no, no people. We do not behave this way in Santa Monica. We meet for drinks or coffee or yoga. We shop. We lunch. We don’t run pedestrians onto the curb and we don’t curse. Several more screaming incidents later, even the parking attendant was barking at me…and I just decided, you know what? I’m not participating in this madness. I told the rude parking attendant to have a wonderful day, smiled and drove slowly and carefully away.
I don’t know what the hell is going on but people are just freekin’ wound up lately, around politics, around everything. And we all need to calm the f*ck down before things get out of hand. So will you all take a beat today to breathe, and maybe be more patient with others bad behavior, just for today. If we all refuse to participate in the anger, maybe we can turn the heat down a notch.
Talked to my friend Amy this morning, just before I left and she asked me if I’d read my horoscope today.
“No- didn’t have a chance.”
“Oh good,” she said, “Don’t.”
I was traveling around WLA this morning and it was crowded (no school). Long lines at the gas station and Bed, Bath and Beyond. I thought maybe it was the wind and allergies acting up but I just think all the crazies were out to today with their day off and having their kids out as well. But did have a lovely lunch with grandkids, DIL and my niece. John O'Groats where everyone is friendly.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for bringing this up.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, somebody laid down on his horn because I wasn't turning right on red fast enough.
And then later, at that same corner, somebody flicked me off. I'm assuming it's because I was on the phone with my mom. He could have been flicking off my mom, but I doubt it.
Anyway, we choose to react to things in certain ways. I wish everyone realized that and chose to chill out. Thanks.
Living in a city, I know this mad energy well. It's terrifying! Yes, let's please breathe!!!
ReplyDeletePS botox up the ying yang? That sounds painful ;)
B
The Middle Ages