Thursday, November 15, 2007

People are monumental arseholes.

Yesterday was just one of those days, I caught a bus into town, arrived at an office, only to discover the woman I wanted to see had left by 2 minutes for her lunch. It was raining, So I went to Clerys to look at dresses. Didn't find one I liked. I did get perfume sparayed in my face though, by a over zealous lady at a perfume counter, despite the fact I only really ever wear Dior and I said 'no thank you' most clearly.
After fannying around for almost an hour I retuned to the the office, only to find the woman has been in and gone off again. After some gentle under my breath swearing I did a tour around the block and caught her on the third pass. Then I learned that she personally was of little use to me and the woman I did need wouldn't be in until the following day. This DIRECTLY contradicted what this same woman told me earlier that morning over the phone
Miffed, mystified and malevolent I thanked her for her uselessness and headed back out into the rain.
By the time I had made it back across town to other Dublin I had been poked repeatedly by vicious deadly umbrellas, almost hit by a snot rocket-disgusting beyond words- and asked for money/cigarettes be no less than three people.
I made it back across O'Connell Bridge and entered a shop, A woman was coming out with her hands pretty full, I opened the door for her and stood back and to the side, where upon a gaggle of girls in a hideous uniform brushed past me and entered shoving the woman and her groceries out of the way in the process. The woman and I did simultaneous head shakes.
My brows lowered.
I bought the paper, I paid the chap behind the counter and said thank you. He ignored me and flung my change down in a puddle of something sticky on the counter instead of into my outstretched hand. He roared 'Next there please' before I had even had a chance to pick it up.
Did I mention it was sticky? I hate sticky.
More umbrellas and an almost collision with a chap going up the footpath in Templebar on a mountain bike later, I located a chumley and we trotted off to a Spanish restaurant where we were treated like a nuisance, ignored, poorly fed, ignored some more and finally given the wrong bill in such a haughty manner it was all I could do not to take the wrong bill and shove it where no sun have ever shone, but I did not because I wasn't paying it and I had been invited and I"m just not a fucking rude bored bitch who think customers are the bane of her fabulous and obviously important life.
I said good bye to my friend and caught a taxi.
My taxi driver asked how I was.
I told him 'not so good, people are monumental arseholes.'
'You got that right, 'says he, and proceeds to regale me with one story after another of just how arsehole-ish people REALLY are ( I assume he thought I didn't get it).
This depressed the life out of me, and the driving was pretty hairy too, with him blaring the horn every five seconds and throwing his hands up in DESPAIR at every light he came across.
By the time I made it home I was operating on a monobrow and had begun mentally swink-lopping my way all over the shop. I paid my cabbie, climbed out into a stream and watched him tear off into the night, doubtless to be shocked and horrified by traffic lights all over the city.
I let myself in, the house was warm and inviting. Puddy and the bigger of the cats were lying sprawled under a radiator in the hallway.
'I've made Rogan Josh' the paramour said as I dribbled into the kitchen.
'It smells fabulous.'
We kissed, he took off my hat and looked at me.
'Glass of wine?"
'Yes please.'
He is not an arsehole. Not even in the slightest.
I'm never venturing outside my front door again. Well, obviously I will, but just let me hang on to that lie for another while longer this morning.

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32 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"treated like a nuisance, ignored, poorly fed, ignored some more and finally given the wrong bill"

You think Manuel is moonlighting in Dublin?

11:16 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Irish people are so rude. I absolutely hate when people do that, it never seizes to amaze me how people who work for the same organisation cannot point you in the right direction, they are all just dying to pass the book.

And I hate sticky as well, one day last week I was doing a presentation and leaned on the radiator and for some reason unknowns to me I out my hand down the back of it, right into melted chewing gun, I think I had to swallow my own vomit about three times. Yuk.

11:17 a.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

Indeed.

Epidemic proportions in Dublin now. And do you find yourself doing other people's jobs for them, if only because your attention span is better than theirs?

And I'm having to chase money I'm owed, for months. Why is that? I'm having to correct blatant factual errors. Why is that? I'm having to spend hours chasing services paid for but not provided. Why is that? I'm having to say, 'Yes, it's too late, I contacted you more than a week ago.' Why is that?

I'm having to complain so much that I'm thinking of starting up a business complaining on other people's behalf. I may as well, because no one's got time for this shit!

11:19 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FMC - it's down to the miserable weather, S.A.D. setting in early, and too many people with not enough space around them (what some American writer calls "your territorial imperative!") - same over here - we're like rats in a barrel, teeth bared ready for war. Nobody smiles in public here between October and March! Still, I agree it's lovely to go home to your own little warm nest and a lovely man waiting to apply the necessary balm!

11:38 a.m.  
Blogger Cycles Goff said...

You're ripe for a Falling Down incident, Fmc.

You should get right back out there and push past those soceital barriers of pointedly not screaming 'Hand me my fucking change, motherfucker! And look me in the fucking eye while you do it or I'll rip your fucking head off, you ignornant prick!'

If you do it then maybe I won't have to.

11:49 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm with Gimme on this one - someone gives you grief, give it right back and then some.

12:13 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you need to get out more,AND the big C day is coming

12:35 p.m.  
Blogger James McInerney said...

I'm not sure I should say this 'cos you will all think I'm mental. Anyway, recently, for my own amusement, I have started saying "Thank you" to the automatic check-out machine in SuperQuinn. you know when it says "please take your change"? Well, I loudly say "Thank you" to it.

Most polite people in Dublin - me and the SuperQuinn machine.

12:37 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doc, you're a bit of a mentalist. A polite mentalist, but a mentalist all the same...

12:46 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The growing rudeness of Dublin and the rest of the country is something I do notice whenever I am back - which is actually getting less and less frequent.

One of the things I do like about Belgium (and somewhat in Germany too, France less so) is that people working in shops say hello, please, thank you, and good-bye. It is a bit surprising when it happens first, but then it becomes normal. Which is probably why I find Dublin so very offputting now.

Saying that. I'm thoroughly looking forward to going home for a week at Christmas and New Year.

1:01 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This post made me grateful for the fact that I don't need to leave my house today and face people. I guess some days are just worse than others. I'm glad it had a good ending for you though..
However for some reason I came across an extremely cheerful and polite checkout guy in my local shop yesterday - he even offered me sweeties - so you see, there are some nice people out there too...

1:10 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eve were had he got his hands when he offered you sweets? I hope to God it wasn’t a lollipop!

1:15 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

FMC, it makes you wonder how people cope having to deal with going to an office everyday.
Thank goodness for Paramour and a glass of wine to make it all melt away.

1:19 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

It's the little things that get me most, out and out over the top rudeness can sometimes be funny. But little thoughtful things are going by the wayside. Letting a car pull out because the lights down the road are red so it's not like you'll be going far anyway. Letting a person go ahead of you in the supermarket because you've a trolley and they have one or two things in their hand.
Holding the door open for someone you know is coming behind you rather than let it slap closed in their face. These are little actions, not major ones but they can brighten a day and then maybe that person does something nice for someone else.
I always say thank you to the bus driver when I alight, I don't know why just habit, but they always say thanks and good bye back.
Without sounding like a moaning fogey, when did we become so rude and mé fein-ish.

1:25 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Medbh, I have the greatest respect for folk who must work in an office, hospitality or hospital or in retail, it can't be easy. I wouldn't be able for it, I'd be sacked in a day.

1:27 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It it like Pay It Forward Miss Cat, that is most interesting indeed. Parents don’t bother teaching their children manners. People are selfish. Ask the next little kid you see what he/she wants off Santy and you’ll see, there will be no “I would like” or “~Maybe he’ll bring me” it is all “I want, I want”.

1:39 p.m.  
Blogger James McInerney said...

FMC: I had a letter published on this very issue in The Irish Times 10 years ago. Being un-wealthy at the time (to say the least), I was going Shannon to Heathrow and Aer Lingus were overbooked. They offered me a business class ticket and 120 pounds if I would wait until the next day, which I did. And so, I got on the plane next day with the fledgling Tiger Cubs na hEireann. Well, the rudeness and dismissiveness of these people when they were dealing with the girl that was waiting on us was amazing. She was being lovely and they were somehow self-agrandizing, I felt by being this way. "Look at me, I'm traveling business class so screw the lot of ye" kind of attitude.

But it's everywhere now. All I can say is do your own thing and just be nice....in particular if you see me trying to come out of a side-road in my car.

2:24 p.m.  
Blogger Andraste said...

It's all over the place over here too. And it's yet another reason I don't like leaving the house anymore.

I've taken to shouting "you're welcome" when I hold a door for someone and they don't say "thanks." I get some filthy looks, but the occasional embarrased, 'oh, sorry, thanks' makes it well worth it.

2:30 p.m.  
Blogger aquaasho said...

"He is not an arsehole. Not even in the slightest."


Such a romantic story FMC!

2:35 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Nonny, obnoxious to the last some of them are.
I've taken to that as well Andraste. And normally I would have stood with my hand out for my change until hell froze over too, but yesterday was so dispiriting I just swiped it up and left.
Ah romance, Aisling, where would we be without it. It really does made a rough day that bit easier.
Docky2, I can only imagine. I used to go to a hairdressers in Barcelona where all the Spanish versions of wannbe wags used to go, and oh my god how the women who worked there didn't stab the lot of them with a whittled down comb is beyond me. There is nothing worse than a boor with money. Nothing.
Another thing.
I have a friend who is learning to drive at the moment. Now he has great big 'L' plates front and back on his car, you can't miss them, and he says that people are total bastards to him. He stalled at the lights the other week and before he'd even got a chance to restart the engine the car behind blared him out of it. And forget about ANYONE letting him pull out.
I mean for god's sake, if you see someone who is CLEARLY a learner, cut them a bit of bloody slack, we all have to start somewhere, that attitude annoys the shit out of me too.

2:49 p.m.  
Blogger Pat said...

I think I would have blown my top half way through but then I'm a crabby old harridan. He He!
I'm wondrin' which Dior. I have a soft spot for Diorissimo but am presently using J'adore.

3:12 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Dior Addiction yesterday, but I wear Midnight Poison too, depends on my mood though, the MP is much richer and better suited for night time. I like J'adore too, especially in sumer. I pretty much like all Dior perfume, I'm a Dior whore. (French Gay comment)

3:26 p.m.  
Blogger Twenty Major said...

The French adore Le Piat Dior.

4:48 p.m.  
Blogger Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

I find rudeness in my own country, and now in America, a real pain in the arse, but when I go to another country and experience someone else's rudeness I love it. I say to myself. "ooh they're so full of native character, let's take a picture of the charming rudeness!" and other such vaccuous things. In New York once, I practically baited a cab driver to be rude to me just so I could experience the thrill of New York rude.

I'm a twat, though. Pay me no mind.

6:00 p.m.  
Blogger Mairéad said...

Well said, FMC.
You should spend an hour with our young crop of people (aka primary school pupils)! Manners? Gone, gone, gone. It's all gimme gimme gimme, and gimmee first, most, fast and MORE.
Conan, please start that business, I need you, my remaining unburst blood vessels need you....

9:33 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Ha, Sam I used to be a bit like that, then I moved to Barcelona and the novelty of the indigenous rude person wore right off.
Good evening Mairéad, I too second Conan's proposal. I really like the idea of hiring someone to do my most vicious complaining for me.
And I think I would rather pluck every hair from my head one by one than deal with a class room of ill-mannered school children.

9:44 p.m.  
Blogger Tales from the Birch Wood. said...

I find that making photos helps a lot.

10:26 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Of rude people?

11:03 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's another story of mind numbing selfishness from Maman Poulet's blog:

http://www.mamanpoulet.com/?p=249

11:23 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

That's disgusting and that man who argued about his seat will be elderly someday. Fucking jerk.
I've done it myself, told a pup to get up out of a seat on dublin bus and let an old lady sit down. The puss on his when I said it. I wouldn't mind only there was a big fucking sign by his head that said the seat was for the elderly.

11:59 a.m.  
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