Monday, January 26, 2009

The Meanest Thing: Judge Me

CP has a meme on his blog for which I can't answer all the questions. The answer to #1 alone is too complex and I went all Bill Clinton in trying to figure out how to answer it and nobody wants to hear that anyway. The piece of the meme that I thought I would take up here has to do with the meanest thing I've ever done. I've occasionally done some mean things I think and have tried to make amends as needed. However, with this one, the problem is that I'm not sure that it is really mean or just appropriate payback. I'll let you be the judge. MNMom, Cheesecake and Little Sister, I want you to weigh in here too since you know of whom I write.
Anyway, it is 1986 - 88 and I'm living in Iowa City. Cash machines must have been a relatively new concept because there didn't seem to be many around. The best one for students was on the main floor of the Capitol City mall and there was always always a long line between classes. It seemed that every time I got in line, so did a blind man- we'll call him Tim. Tim would find the end of the line- I don't know how he did it or how many people he beat with his cane on the way there- and stand back there and yell "I'M A BLIND MAN AND NEED TO GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE! I'M BLIND. WOULD YOU PLEASE LET ME GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE? IT TAKES ME LONGER TO GET TO CLASS AND I NEED TO GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE!"
Of course, being from a small town without a lot of exposure to people with disabilities, I let him go ahead of me the first time. After that it just got obnoxious and there were usually 4 or 5 people ahead of Tim who just stood there in uncomfortable silence. If there was no response, Tim would tap at the back of the line with his cane and if he didn't find a clear path to the ATM, he would shout "YOU'RE BEING VERY RUDE! I'M A BLIND MAN AND I NEED TO GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE! YOU'RE VERY RUDE!" At this point, people would try to reason and say "Hey, dude, we're all in a hurry and all need to wait our turn." Tim would yell back again about how rude we were and yelled until he eventually reached the ATM.
Well, it turned out that this wasn't the only place that Tim was working the blind angle. Oh no. The library, fast food restaurants, it was anywhere that Tim went. "I'M BLIND! YOU'RE RUDE! I'M BLIND!" Blah. Blah. Blah.
So, anyway, here's the mean part. After putting up with this for about a year, a few of us were driving through downtown Iowa City and who did we see but Tim, tapping his way down the sidewalk. Without thinking too hard about it, I rolled down my window and yelled, "Hey! Look out for the construction in front of you!" Tim tapped his cane a lot, yelled a little and went on his merry way. I am not proud. Was that so wrong?

8 comments:

Coaster Punchman said...

Hmmm, I guess it kind of qualifies although it's more funny than mean, and since Tim kind of deserved it that takes away mean points. Yep, I think I'm going to have to ask you to do this one over. Although I did enjoy the story!

Mnmom said...

MG, that was the infamous Timmy Tapper and you are certainly not the first or last person in Iowa City to seek revenge on his rude ass. He was obnoxious with a capital O, blind or not. I wanted to slap him several times myself. So does that make us BOTH mean or just two of the frustrated thousands?

Amy said...

That is not mean... it is freakin hilarious... oh oh... am I mean now too?

Little Sister said...

Not mean at all Michael...just because he is blind does not give him license to be rude. And if you want mean, how about the fact that I made fun of your acne-THAT is mean....and rude.

Mnmom said...

Ruth wins

themom said...

Now children...I think it is on the hilarious side - not mean. Timmy Tapper was the "mean" one in the scenario. Apparently he thought he was FIRST in everything due to his disability - shame on Timmy!

Melinda June said...

Mean would have been tripping him.

Dale said...

Mean would have been saying "Follow the sound of my voice" as you led him into traffic, you were too kind.