Over the past 62+ years of my life, I have managed to offend one or two people along the way. No, really! I see how you might think it inconceivable that I could be contrary, but in fact, I have been downright nasty on more than one occasion.
In spite of the fact that I have a smartass mouth, and am prone to witty little quips that are often sugar coated barbs, I seldom deliberately set out to offend most people. Usually, if I don't like you, you know it. Not because I told you what a blot you are on the earth. You know it because I don't acknowledge your existence. No one likes everyone. I try to like everyone when we first meet, but I have to admit I'm an intellectual snob and if you open your mouth and stupid falls out, well I'm probably already looking for a way to get away. I define stupidity as the ability to learn but the unwillingness to do so. Ignorance, in my belief, can be cured by eduction (whether scholastic or in life). Stupidity is terminal.
Yet, over the years I've managed to alienate a few reasonably intelligent people. One such person is the girl/woman who was my best friend throughout all of high school and into our early adulthood. We actually remained friends, though not nearly as close, well into middle age. In high school, we were an odd couple. Everyone thought she would go to college and have a career, and I would get married right away and have a dozen or so snot-nosed kids. Well, she got married a week before she graduated from high school. She worked for awhile. But then she started having children and became a stay-at-home mom until her marriage went to Hell and she was forced to go back to work. I got engaged about 18 months after I graduated from high school, but that all came to a screeching halt when the imbecile shot himself. Then I joined the Navy, saw the east coast of the USA, got married, got unmarried, saw some more of the east coast of the USA and made a place for myself in the world of business. No children, snot-nosed or otherwise. So my friend and I found ourselves on very different paths, and soon all we had in common was our memories. That sustained us for awhile, but I've never been much for holding on to the past. My friend, on the other hand, could not let go of the past. She remained bitter about her divorce and she became bitter about others successfully finding a little piece of happiness. I guess I got tired of her whining and her superior attitude and her refusal to listen to any suggestion regarding how she might make her situation more pleasant. So one day I wrote her one of those emails you always want to write, but never intend to send. Except I sent it. And I do not regret it. Needless to say, she was thoroughly pissed off, and her response was hot enough to burn up those little electrons that pass through your computer. I still don't regret telling her how I felt, though I suppose I could have been a bit more diplomatic. Still, after so many years of knowing each other, she should have known the only thing I know about diplomacy is how to spell it. I left the situation completely broken for a number of years. But then I decided to attempt a reconciliation of some sort. Nothing major; I just sent her an eCard on her birthday. I've done this for several years now, and received zero responses. Her birthday is tomorrow. I think I'll just let sleeping dogs lie. She has no role in my life, and she hasn't had for many years. I'm gonna give up and leave her to stew in her own venom.
Then there's this guy. We used to work together, though he would tell you I worked for him. I never did see it that way. His position on the ladder was higher than mine, but the person I worked for was even further up the ladder. Still he was smart, and quick-witted, and clever, and funny, and we got along extremely well. Until things got a little bumpy in my real life. I always made a huge effort to keep my home life and my work life completely separate, but sometimes that isn't the easiest thing to do. I might not have been as sparkling or as easily amused as I normally would have been. I might have been a little more easily hurt by the verbal jabs and sparring. I might have retaliated a little more vehemently than I would have under different circumstances. But I was still surprised when his reaction was a complete turnaround. He went from being my staunchest ally to being my harshest critic in one swell foop. It's been a few years now since we worked together, and I don't work any where any longer. I found him on Facebook and sent a friend request; my way of offering a truce. It was ignored. Okay. I can deal with that. Several months later I sent a short email asking how he was doing and telling him briefly about my health issues. No response. I think I'll skip the third time. Some people say the third time is the charm, and that certainly proved true with my marital status. However, others say three strikes and you're out. I think I'll just stand at the plate and let the ball pass me by. I'll take that third strike looking. This guy is a sure case of no reconciliation.
Two outta two; not bad.
In spite of the fact that I have a smartass mouth, and am prone to witty little quips that are often sugar coated barbs, I seldom deliberately set out to offend most people. Usually, if I don't like you, you know it. Not because I told you what a blot you are on the earth. You know it because I don't acknowledge your existence. No one likes everyone. I try to like everyone when we first meet, but I have to admit I'm an intellectual snob and if you open your mouth and stupid falls out, well I'm probably already looking for a way to get away. I define stupidity as the ability to learn but the unwillingness to do so. Ignorance, in my belief, can be cured by eduction (whether scholastic or in life). Stupidity is terminal.
Yet, over the years I've managed to alienate a few reasonably intelligent people. One such person is the girl/woman who was my best friend throughout all of high school and into our early adulthood. We actually remained friends, though not nearly as close, well into middle age. In high school, we were an odd couple. Everyone thought she would go to college and have a career, and I would get married right away and have a dozen or so snot-nosed kids. Well, she got married a week before she graduated from high school. She worked for awhile. But then she started having children and became a stay-at-home mom until her marriage went to Hell and she was forced to go back to work. I got engaged about 18 months after I graduated from high school, but that all came to a screeching halt when the imbecile shot himself. Then I joined the Navy, saw the east coast of the USA, got married, got unmarried, saw some more of the east coast of the USA and made a place for myself in the world of business. No children, snot-nosed or otherwise. So my friend and I found ourselves on very different paths, and soon all we had in common was our memories. That sustained us for awhile, but I've never been much for holding on to the past. My friend, on the other hand, could not let go of the past. She remained bitter about her divorce and she became bitter about others successfully finding a little piece of happiness. I guess I got tired of her whining and her superior attitude and her refusal to listen to any suggestion regarding how she might make her situation more pleasant. So one day I wrote her one of those emails you always want to write, but never intend to send. Except I sent it. And I do not regret it. Needless to say, she was thoroughly pissed off, and her response was hot enough to burn up those little electrons that pass through your computer. I still don't regret telling her how I felt, though I suppose I could have been a bit more diplomatic. Still, after so many years of knowing each other, she should have known the only thing I know about diplomacy is how to spell it. I left the situation completely broken for a number of years. But then I decided to attempt a reconciliation of some sort. Nothing major; I just sent her an eCard on her birthday. I've done this for several years now, and received zero responses. Her birthday is tomorrow. I think I'll just let sleeping dogs lie. She has no role in my life, and she hasn't had for many years. I'm gonna give up and leave her to stew in her own venom.
Then there's this guy. We used to work together, though he would tell you I worked for him. I never did see it that way. His position on the ladder was higher than mine, but the person I worked for was even further up the ladder. Still he was smart, and quick-witted, and clever, and funny, and we got along extremely well. Until things got a little bumpy in my real life. I always made a huge effort to keep my home life and my work life completely separate, but sometimes that isn't the easiest thing to do. I might not have been as sparkling or as easily amused as I normally would have been. I might have been a little more easily hurt by the verbal jabs and sparring. I might have retaliated a little more vehemently than I would have under different circumstances. But I was still surprised when his reaction was a complete turnaround. He went from being my staunchest ally to being my harshest critic in one swell foop. It's been a few years now since we worked together, and I don't work any where any longer. I found him on Facebook and sent a friend request; my way of offering a truce. It was ignored. Okay. I can deal with that. Several months later I sent a short email asking how he was doing and telling him briefly about my health issues. No response. I think I'll skip the third time. Some people say the third time is the charm, and that certainly proved true with my marital status. However, others say three strikes and you're out. I think I'll just stand at the plate and let the ball pass me by. I'll take that third strike looking. This guy is a sure case of no reconciliation.
Two outta two; not bad.
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