How Rude! Are People in Lubbock Acting More Like Complete Jerks Lately?
Maybe it's the heat that won't go away or the fact that everyone seems to be getting Covid-19 again, but more and more I notice that whenever I leave the house, people in Lubbock are starting to act like straight up punks.
This is in direct conflict with the usual stereotype of the distinguished West Texas gentleman...
Am I right!?
Just this past week, I had two experiences that may have been isolated instances, but could also be the beginning of a trend among empowered Lubbock jerk-wads.
First, I was in a grocery store which shall remain nameless, and was waiting in line with one item as another couple stood in line next to me. On my opposite side it appeared that a checker was going to open another register, so I moved to that lane. Just then, the woman next to me also noticed the soon-to-open lane and darted in front of me. She then motioned for her husband to come over, as he pushed his cart right in front of me to get to the new lane.
I was stunned by her gall and said "Oh, excuse me..." as she stood between me and the new lane, allowing her husband to cross. She looked at me quickly and remarked, "we're in a hurry" and proceeded to empty her cart. I was stunned and thought up some Olympic-class profanities, but kept them to myself as there were children around, while saying a silent prayer about a tornado and the trailer park they came from.
My second crappy experience was at the South Plains Mall. I was cruising the parking lot in front of Barnes & Noble so as not to walk for too long in the 100-degree heat, when I turned down what was obviously the wrong aisle.
In front of me I saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the aisle, the driver deeply engrossed in conversation with someone who was at their driver's side window. I stopped and waited, yet it appeared that the discussion was no where near a close as the person outside glanced over, then turned their attention back to the driver.
I put my car in reverse hoping to back out somehow, when suddenly another car turned into the aisle behind me. I was trapped. The person behind me was not nearly as patient and before long was blowing their horn at, ostensibly, me for not moving. I looked behind me and saw the driver angrily motioning for me to drive forward, which was an impossibility. He blew his horn again, which caused the person in front of me to raised her arm as if to say "talk to the hand" and kept the conversation going.
BEEEEEP! again from behind me. Finally, the board meeting in front of me broke up and the car ahead turned out. I also turned in the opposite direction, but not before I heard another honk from the person behind me, who had no idea I wasn't the cause of the delay. I couldn't establish who was more rude: the people blocking my path in front, or the horn-y jerk behind me. Both, in my opinion, can suck donkey balls.
The question is, are these isolated instances? Or is it part of a growing trend where people just don't care about the world or their fellow man? Especially here in Lubbock, we have a sense of hospitality and West Texas pride that's unmatched. Let's not go full-blown a-hole and ruin that good vibe.