The New Normal

From Forced Helpfulness to Blatant Rudeness in Stores

This will be a short one. My husband and I spent our afternoons separately today. I was needing me time and went for a run. He tended to his hobbies and is working on some renovations that required a trip to the local Home Depot.

My Story is about white women who have no self awareness and do not understand traffic flow.

On my runs, I typically cross a street that is very busy during normal rush hours, but hardly any car drives there on Sunday afternoons. During rush hours, I sometimes have to wait 5min for a break in the back to back cars before I can leave my subdivision. On days like today I reached the street when it was nearly car-less. I only had to stop before crossing, because three cars were approaching one after the other. They were about two car lengths apart and it would have made me wait for maybe 15 seconds if not less for them to pass.

But…

… the third car all over sudden stopped. A woman, middle aged, white, behind the wheel. I was confused. Moved further to the side, because I somehow thought she needed to get to where I was standing. But no. She just stood there. And started waving for me to cross.

It confused me even more.

It then suddenly dawned on me. She was trying to be nice. She was helping me cross the street. With the one main problem. It was completely unnecessary. She was the last car. I had only waited a couple of seconds. Had she just driven by, I would have been able to cross much sooner. It was done by a woman who has no self awareness of where she is and how she fits in. To me, this is a blatant sign of someone not capable to understand traffic flow and safety. A person who may benefit from new driver’s training.

By the way, I refused to cross the road and waved back at her to just keep driving. I made the obvious “wtf” face and I do not care if she thinks I am ungrateful and a bitch.

This was my ‘society is broken’ moment of the day.

My husband’ story at the local Home Depot is less about people being dangerously helpful, but more about rudeness or… let’s face it: potential racism against whites.

He entered the store and was looking for some specific clamps for some duct work. Like so many times, he could not find what he was looking for, when a black woman came to the aisle. Obviously working there. This woman approached a black guy next to him: “Hello, can I help you.” They chatted a little bit. She helped him. He thanked her and walked away. Without turning to my husband, the woman started walking away. My husband did not let her go and said: “Excuse me, could you help me, I am looking for…” without being able to finish his sentence the woman turned around: “Sorry, we are closing now’, and walked away without turning around. It was 20min before actual closing time.

What are your experiences with the new normal?