I have a habit of interjecting myself into disputes with strangers that I don’t directly have anything to do with. I can’t help it! When I see something unjust happening, the Aries in me kicks in and I just have to get involved. Remember that time I threw ice cream at a woman? Cant.Help.It.

Yesterday while standing in line at the post office, the man behind me was grumbling VERY loudly. He was having a near melt down because the line was long and he felt there was not adequate post office staff. True, there was only one person behind the counter and there were about 15 of us in line, but we were not at a real post office, we were in a hardware store that conveniently had a mini post office inside. I had planned to spend my entire lunch break waiting in line so I was rather pleased that there were only 6 people in front of me, compared to the other local post offices which all have about a 30-45 minute wait this time of year. See? It’s all about perspective. The gentleman behind me did not feel the same way. Directly behind my head, I heard what sounded like a constipated man with turrets:

 Un-freaking-believable. You’d think they would staff this place properly. This is insane. Hmmmmph Ughhhhhh Eggggrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh I just don’t understand ugh scuuuuuggghhhh 

I was being a good girl though and minding my own business. I decided that it was HIS BUSINESS if he wanted to get his panties in a wad over a post office line. At Christmas time. During everybody in the world’s lunch break.

Then he started saying loudly to nobody in particular “All I need are some freaking stamps. I can’t get them at the grocery store because they charge 50 cents for a freaking convenience fee. Just some stamps, I need, and it’s going to take me 30 minutes to get them.”

My eyes widened and I knew it was happening. I could feel the smart-assness, the grotesque sweet smile, the confrontation-beast rising up inside me.

I turned around and with a surprised look said “oh my goodness, I can’t believe the grocery store charges a 50 cent convenience fee per stamp, that is a rip off!” I knew full well that the grocery store charges 50 cents extra on the TOTAL order, obviously not per stamp, but I wanted him to realize that he was being extremely dramatic.

“No, not per stamp it’s 50 cents extra on the full order”, he rolled his eyes. Again, I pretended to look surprised and said “oh, so you would rather wait 20-30 minutes in a post office line than pay an extra 50 cents and not wait in line at all?

“I’m NOT paying a convenience fee”, he snarled. I knew this type of man all too well. He was wearing an expensive watch, a leather jacket, and nice polished shoes. He probably had 50 cents floating around under the seat of his car, he just didn’t want to pay it on principle. That is fine with me, do whatever the heck you want based on principle, but don’t act like the world is treating you unfairly and you deserve presidential treatment just because of your personal views.

I told the man that I would even pay an extra $2 at the grocery store if all I needed were stamps and there was a huge post office line. He just kept mumbling under his breath and shaking his head angrily. I told him to go ahead of me because my order was going to take several minutes and he just needed stamps. He said no, I said yes, we went back and forth until I forcefully said “I’m not going first okay?!?! YOU GO.”

I wanted to show him that even with his nasty attitude, his swearing under his breath, and his cheapness, there were still nice people in the world. In this holiday season, ESPECIALLY after the recent tragedy in Connecticut, is it really important to bitch and moan about every little thing that makes us unhappy?? Can’t we just sit back a minute and be thankful for what we do have? He was buying stamps to mail something to a loved one, more thank likely. He should be thankful he has loved ones to mail things to this holiday season, because so many people are not as fortunate.

I hope angry post office man finds a reason to be happy this Christmas and can find things to be thankful for instead of making himself and those around him miserable. If not, I hope he gets a big ‘ol lump of coal in his stocking.