the cold, callous world

i've been trying to figure out what to write about for a while and for me to be at a loss of words is *gasp*, almost unheard of.. i put my two cents in on just about everything.. but, when it comes to writing about something that's not quite come to fruition, i'm at a loss.. well, if i were hemingway, i could take a drink or dozen and get some inspiration.. not that i'm going to write anything as noteworthy to garner a Nobel Prize in Literature, i can certainly try.. then, i can see that one as the #1 on the New York Times Bestseller's list already..!

i have, lately, had my fill of rude, obnoxious, insensitive people who can give a rats arse about anyone other than themselves.. i've often heard the golden rule, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you..' do you have any idea how much crap i would get if i chose that path..? if i dole out the rudeness, the callousness, the insensitivity, the lack of remorse, i would be struck down by that one random lightening strike materializing from a clear, blue sky..

have we become so desensitized by the overall acceptance of indifference in being a member of the proverbial rat-race and continuing on with the mentality of 'every man for himself'..? before any feminists start jumping on my case, the term 'man' is meant as an overall blanket for 'human', not singling out a particular sex.. whether or not you were born with a pair of gonads is not part of the topic..

we've all heard of stories of valor, of heroism and of simple acts of kindness all during times of despair and horrific conditions.. but you rarely hear of any of that during every day life.. i had read from online news site of a group of people somewhere in the midwest (don't quote me on the exact location, but i think i'm close) who witnessed an accident in which a woman lost control of her vehicle and upon impact of hitting a tree, her SUV caught on fire.. to the horror of the passerby's, their were children in the vehicle.. people were skidding to a stop to aid this woman and her children.. a woman pulled out her hose and starting helping put out the flames, men and women breaking the windows of the car to ge the kids out, knives to cut seatbelts to free them.. this was all before the emergency crews could get there..

sure, this was headlines for about a second or two, even had a video shot by a bystander.. but who was the person shooting the video..? why weren't they in there helping all the others..? was the only thought on their mind, "this is sooo going on YouTube! ".. case in point to my whole debate, how callous and heartless is this person that they would rather stand there and shoot video from their cell phone than jump in and save a woman and her children from a burning car..?

the woman and her children were no one famous, no one of celebrity status, but for a brief moment in their lives, they were on the news from coast to coast, on internet news sites.. but, even before the flames were doused and the injured parties whisked off to the hospital, it is no longer of interest.. but it amazed me how there are still people that will risk their own lives to save the life of someone they've never met and they're not paid to do it..

but, what equally amazes me, is that if it were to happen in morning, rush-hour traffic, the people in that car would have died.. people are still so concerned about themselves that they do not stop to look around at who and what effect they have on another person, even if they cross paths only for a blip in time.. to that person who cuts you off, to the person who thinks he/she is getting over on the highway patrol by cruising in the commuter lane with no one but themselves in the car, to the person who tailgates you for miles, you are not gonna win..!

i do not think they understand that they are not proving anything to anyone, especially not themself and definitely not to me.. learn to relax, learn to leave a little early, learn to appreciate the life they have and it does not hurt to smile and say hello to someone they've never met nor will more than likely never see again.. think about how a smile can actually make a person feel better.. and as an added bonus, in this shaky economy, all the things i've just mentioned are free..!

oh, and don't get me started on the employees at a certain grocery store in pleasanton on sunol blvd just before bernal road (we'll not let the name *cough*raley's*cough* get out).. talk about rude, insensitive and not to mention downright snobby.. i think someone in the breakroom must have let out an SBD during a staff meeting and cranked up the heat or someone slipped some lemon drops and castor oil into the water cooler.. talk about some stiffs, talk about people that if they smiled or even displayed any emotion other than that of a sour ass puss, it would have shattered the time continuum, it would have shifted the earth and the universe off its axis, putting an end to life as we know it.. smiling and being nice won't get you fired..

okay, i think i've vented enough on one afternoon's ride home.. i just hope tomorrow is much better.. i would take a drink, but i'd rather like to stay amongst the living rather than kicking it with the dead.. not that i have anything against the dead, it's just that i'm not quite ready to chill and haunt anyone at this point in time.. and those on my list, a note, you will be haunted by me, but all in due time.. just be patient, your time will come..