Thursday, May 23, 2013

Of Drunkards and Graduates

I was about to type "what a weekend it's been!" and then I realized the weekend isn't even here yet...ha. I've been in weekend mode ever since Monday because of my three day work week (aka, pretty much the best thing that has happened this month) due to my little brother Forrest graduating from high school. I love that kid to death and I can't believe it's been three years since it was me singing in the choir and walking across that stage, letting my smile get more and more stiff the more pictures were taken. Strange.

On a different note, the thing I really wanted to write about tonight is something that I find interesting:  humans.

I have always been an avid people watcher (maybe this is why I love the city so much). More often than not, this ends with me laughing out loud to myself over someone's outfit, hairdo or overheard conversation. Now this may sound like I walk around, putting myself up on a pedestal and laughing at others eccentricities. But in reality, I just find the way that people express themselves so interesting. I constantly think to myself as I walk around a grocery store or downtown in City Creek: "What has lead that person or that one over there to get to this point in their life? How did they come to be here at this moment? And what made them decide to shave half of their hair off and dye the other half bright blue?!?"

I had one of these "why?!?" moments when I came home late this Monday night. I had just gotten done playing a grueling (yet amazing) 3 hours of ultimate frisbee and was ready to jump into bed and fall asleep before my head touched the pillow--as they say. I drove up the driveway that goes along the side of my apartment complex, said "hi" to the cat that is always sitting in one of the windowsills in a basement apartment (I have decided it is a her and every morning she's there she gets a "there's my kitty!" from my car. I'm cool like that.), rounded the corner into the parking lot behind the building and almost ran right over someone who was lying in the middle of the road at 12:30 at night. 

My first response?

Panic.

Thought process:

They are clearly dead or dying. 
I've never seen a dead person before. 
This is why I've never gone to a viewing. 
Should I call 911?
What if another car turns the corner and actually runs them over? 
What if I would have run him over?
And what happened to them in the first place?
Was there a shooting? 
Overdose on drugs? 
Did they just pass out on their way to the door? 
Suicide?
What if they got knifed or something? 
The person could still be out there...waiting to attack me next. 
Why do I live in the city? 
Mom was right, there ARE creepy people in Salt Lake!

I quickly parked and turned off my car, ready to do my civic duty to try and help this poor person get to a hospital or at least get in touch with the police for them so they could get some help. I got out of my car and started walking over when two other guys stepped out from the shadows of the back door of the apartment building.

They pulled out a knife and...

Just kidding. There were no knives mom.

Just a LOT of alcohol.

The person lying on the ground started to moan as his friends walked over to him, "Idon'twannabehitbyacar, Idon'twannabehitbyacar, Idon'twannabehitbyacar." He was so drunk he couldn't stand up by himself and his friends were drunk enough that the only reaction they had to his impending death or maiming if a car wasn't paying attention when they turned the corner, was to laugh hysterically. I quickly walked past them rolling my eyes and lowering my heart rate.

This time my thought process:

WHAT THE HECK?

This people watching experience did not leave me with such a positive sense of wonderment at the human race unfortunately. More, it cemented in my mind the fact that the decisions I have made with my life are good and will keep me from ever being in the predicament of not being able to control myself of my own free will.

We all have the choice to do what we want with our lives, but I guess I choose not to lie in the middle of the road begging my friends to stop me from getting run over.

I'll stick with keeping people entertained by my cat shirts and mustache necklaces.

But I guess to each his own!

C.R.M.
xoxo

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