Is It Me? No, It's You Alright

"I wish some people would get some manners."  When this remark is uttered it never fails to identify the speaker as the one who needs some manners - ANY manners.

On one occasion many years ago, i had a need to make a trip into the Florida Keys. A new acquaintance just happened to be heading down to Ft. Pierce, and invited me to ride with her. I accepted and very soon began to bitterly regret my decision. This lady fancied herself a talented driver. She needed help to stay awake, though. After we had been riding for a couple hours and my eyes began to droop, she slapped my arm and informed me that the whole reason she had wanted me on the trip was to keep her company and help her stay awake as she drove.

Suddenly she began to complain in angry tones about the car behind us, as the driver was tailgating. She sped up, then slowed, nothing would throw the driver off, but eventually the car exited the highway. She talked on and on about the unthinking, inconsiderate tailgaters who made her life miserable every time she had to drive somewhere!

The next car that she came up behind was probably going the speed limit or a little under. What happened next was just amazing, as my companion revealed herself to be a raging hypocrite. She drove up so close to the car ahead that I feared she would run up on the hood. There she remained, complaining and harping non-stop about the dumb, stupid, irritating person ahead who was DRIVING TOO SLOWLY. She never tried to pass the car; just stayed right on their bumper trying to force them to drive faster. She never thought about how irritated she was when being tailgated. She thought it was just fine to do something to someone that she hated having done to herself.

OH man, I could not wait to get that ordeal over with. As I sat there willing the trip to be over, I determined NEVER to enter this woman's car again and i never did, and i never forgot the lesson she taught me:

If you complain about something somebody is doing, don't do the same thing they are doing!

And if you expect people to display good manners when dealing with you, the natural thing is to have your own good manners ready to use, right?