Handicapped by their own stupidity

If I sound holier-than-thou in this one, I’m sorry. Wait. No, I’m not.

I had occasion to go to a big-box store today, an exceptionally nice, early sort-of-spring day. Sunny, breezy, about 63 degrees. I also needed to drop into the pet supply store on the other side of the same shopping center and happened to go there first. When I came out, the day was so nice I decided to leave my car where it was and just walk down to the home center.

Since it was a lengthier walk to the store than if I’d parked right in front of it, as I neared the store I had plenty of time to watch a couple guys pull their pickup truck into a handicapped parking spot nearest the entrance/loading area. A regular spot was only two spots away. Already I’m angered by this, as it’s one of my pet peeves. How can someone be that lazy?

I got what I needed and when I went to the checkout, these two idiots were in line in front of me. One looked like his name was Bubba; the other looked like he had two or three names, something like Jim-Bob-Fred so in case he forgot one he’d still have a couple spares. Listening to their scintillating banter, it was clear that even if they played as a team Forrest Gump would beat them at Jeopardy. They had a half dozen 2x4s between them, and a handful of 2x2 plywood panels. All of this was in a shopping cart (the 2-by’s were sticking about five feet out the front of the cart). They paid, and yuk-yuk-yukked their way out the door. I paid for my things, and as I left the store they were just tossing their stuff in the back of the pickup truck. I could hear the beer cans clatter on the truck bed as they threw the stuff in. They let their shopping cart roll down the parking lot.

To my knowledge, while this dynamic duo was in the store no handicapped person drove up to find a handicapped spot taken. As far as I know, no handicapped person was inconvenienced. Still, these two jerks pretty much felt they were better than everyone else, or maybe somehow thought that since they were going to carry out – oops, I mean cart out – some large items that it entitled them to use the spot, or maybe they just didn’t care.

I hate people like this.

I hate it even more that they were, at least to some extent, woodworkers. Doesn’t exactly set a shining example, does it?

Till next time,

A.J.