Chivalry Is Dead...or just plain old kindness...the will to help others...BEING A DECENT HUMAN BEING!

I am not a "the man has to do all the work" kind of girl but I appreciate kindness...whether its from a man or a woman.  Just kindness.  The desire to help another person.  Hold open a door, help load groceries, say THANK YOU!

What had happened was I went to the store for some gardening supplies.  I am FINALLY getting my garden all Spring-ified.  Doing that requires soil, at least 3 massive bags of it.  The hubs was doing yard work so I went alone.  I managed to drag them from the pile into my basket with minimal effort.  I say minimal...it required some interesting moves and a knee lift to flip the bag over into the basket without the basket rolling away.  I think it could be the next dance craze.   




After I finished and did a "subtle" victory dance...

I noticed no less than 4 rather large men standing nearby watching. Not one offered assistance...and one of them was a store employee!  They literally just watched little petite me manhandle 3 bags of soil that are something like 40lbs each!

Whatever it was already done.


I finished my shopping and headed to my car.  New challenge...get oversized bags of soil into my car without having the basket roll away.  For some reason THIS was more challenging.  Why you may ask...well because the f**king basket was being blown by the wind and wouldn't sit still long enough for me to get a good grip to the f**king bag. 

I put my foot through the bottom bars so that it wouldn't move but once I had the bag hoisted up my foot was stuck so I was hopping around on one leg with a 40lb bag of wet dirt as the basket still tried to roll away. I was almost pulled into a split when my foot came loose and I instead tumbled backwards INTO my trunk with a 40lb bag of what is essentially "fancy" mud on top of me. 

The basket escaped and rolled off into the sunset as I grumbled some very unladylike words to anyone who would listen.

My hero turned out to be a 60 something year old woman who had a f**king oxygen tank.  She managed to help me get unpinned while her 8 yr old grandson fetched my basket.  She was my savior.  I am not mocking her for having a tank or for helping me.  I am calling out the 7 people who were nearby who watched me almost injure myself and didn't lift a finger to help me.  Who instead let a medically challenged woman and a young child help me. 

She also offered to help me get the other bags into my car.  I couldn't in good conscience ask her to lift anything so I asked if she could just hold the basket still while I maneuvered the bags.  And still not one f**king person offered help out of 5 men and 2 women watching this unfold.  All of them were young-ish....all capable of at least holding the run away basket.  Nope, no help, they just watched or pretended like they didn't see.

That is MESSED up!  I always offer help, especially if I see someone struggling.  I may not be big but two people lifting a whatever is a lot easier than one!  I thought it was common courtesy to help someone. 

Faith in Humanity LOST.......well some FAITH was saved by the wonderful woman who offered to help me even though she didn't have to. 

If you try to dull my sparkle...I will throw glitter on you *muahahahaha*

I am the happiness fairy, be nice or I'll glitter you.  So that whole being allowed in public thing has come full circle again.  I've always been quirky/hyper-ish/slightly outgoing.  A BFF childhood friend of mine has always compared my other BFF and I to a couple of bouncing skittles (Hyper and we wear BRIGHT clothing or weird clothing...clothing other people may find strange...).  Anyways, even with my other half over 500 miles away, I still have a tendency to be bouncy and bright.  Put us together and we have a dance party in the grocery store (it has happened and it was amazing). 

Side Note - I call her my other half...because she is.  Yes, I am married and I call him my other half but its different.  Her and I are two sides of the same coin...actually we might be the same side...if you knew us...you would understand.  

So in public being "different" is frowned upon.  Don't try to deny it...anyone who is not a child that doesn't conform to the norm is weird.  Well consider me a super freak because I am, well, me. 

Things that are frowned upon (recent experiences):

1. Dancing in public - Not like full on routines or booty dancing or couples dancing.  I am talking about when music comes on in a store and you like the song and you kind of bounce around to the beat.  NOT vulgar, get your mind out of the gutter.  Just keeping rhythm.  My husband still looks at me strange but he smiles...he has adjusted, resistance is futile.  Strangers either love it *big smile* or give me the stink eye *stupid girl*.    I don't get it.  Live a little people.  Pull the sequoia out ya butt and have some fun. 

2.  Singing in public - Again, not belting it out like Mariah gone tone deaf.  Just humming along or quietly singing along.  Why is this weird?!?!?! It's not like I burst into a full on routine like in a Disney movie.  Quit hatin' or I'll sing louder and follow you around the store (just kidding...maybe).

3.  Acknowledging kids - Not in a creepy way.  But if a child approaches me or speaks to me, I am not going to ignore him/her.  The parents always apologize but it doesn't bother me.  Precocious kids are adorable.  I know, I know "stranger danger" but kids are kids...they are curious by nature.  If  a little girl holds out her hand and introduces herself, I'm not going to be rude.  But I will always look at the mom/dad first to make sure they aren't about to kill me (some parents be cray cray).  The parents are usually fine and smile because I am acknowledging their kid, it's the other people around that freak out like I'm some sort of pedophile.  

4.  Smiling is weird - Why is this weird?!?!  I smile quite a bit.  There are two types of people.  People who smile back or tell me I have a lovely smile and others who look at me like I am mental.  It's not a huge crazy smile...its just a smile.  What is wrong in your life that a SMILE offends you??? I'm not mental, I'm just enjoying my day and trying to spread my good spirits...quit being a Debbie Downer. 

I smile like this

NOT like this

5.  Being helpful - If I overhear something or notice someone having an issue, I am going to offer assistance.  Again two types of people.  People who thank me profusely for my kindness and others who are @$$holes, acting like I just tried to rob them.  You can refuse my assistance without being a jerk.  I was offering to help you get those groceries to the car not trying to steal your Eggos (I have my own basket) or your screaming child.  I'm just nice, GEEZ!  What makes this one worse is I look 100% not threatening.  I am barely 5'1", maybe a buck seventeen...at most...but I guess no one can be trusted...I get it, doesn't mean I have to like it *plfeet*.

It just concerns me that everyone is so distrusting and negative.  I know they have reasons to be...I watch the news (unfortunately)...

I may become the happiness fairy...carrying a vial of "pixie dust" to sprinkle on @$$holes to de-@$$hole them. 

But since this is real life and not a movie this may get me arrested...ya know fear of (insert bio-weapon/drug/other issue of choice).

Side Side Note - I have my moments of distrust as well.  I am not careless but I tend to trust my gut feelings about people/situations and it hasn't steered me wrong yet *knock on wood*.