Farrell: To the animal who threw trash out the window today, I saw that
On Monday morning, I was leaving the drive-thru of a popular fast-food restaurant in Bluffton and found myself behind a silver SUV that had just gotten its drinks and sack of food a mere second before I did.
Just as we exited the parking lot of the restaurant, the SUV slowed, and the wild animal sitting in the passenger seat opened the window and threw out a large empty paper cup left over from, one can presume, the last fast-food place where those animals ate.
The cup bounced and then rolled on the ground of the parking lot.
And I sped up.
I sped up so fast, my car made a noise I've never heard before. A roaring sound. A reactionary one: I'm coming for you.
I grabbed my phone to take a picture of the beasts' license plate.
But I couldn't.
The animals were driving a new car. One with temporary plates. That's all I have to identify them. (So 2/10/16, please know I saw what you did.)
I say "animals" and "beasts" because I did not see who was in the car, so I must be generic with my nouns. I also say "animals" and "beasts" because that is what they are, in my opinion. I don't mean to be derogatory. I'm sure they're just lovely people at home and at parties, but in real life, I can't say I'm a fan.
It didn't matter to them where the trash went, just so long as it was no longer in their car -- just so long as they didn't have to hold onto it for another inconvenient second; just so long as they didn't have to get out of their car and throw out the cup properly.
It was just one paper cup. It made no dent on the earth's daily pollution, and I'm sure it elicited just a shrug from the after-school employee who had to pick it up later.
But it got me in such a mood, I called the dealership that was on the tags, not that there was anything they could do about it, obviously, but hey. This happened with their brand proudly displayed. Maybe someone would recognize the coordinates.
"Did you say 2/10/16? Why, I KNEW they were litterers! We're calling them right now and taking the car back."
For the record, I was nice about it.
I'm not the litter police, but it struck at one of my more persistent pet peeves: people who make the area around them worse than it was before they got there -- physically, emotionally, metaphorically.
It can be done in a variety of ways, of course. Sometimes it's loudness in a quiet room. Sometimes it's stealing a parking space or a soda because the line is too long. Sometimes it manifests in destructive interpersonal behavior or ignoring boundaries.
Usually it can all be described as "rudeness."
More specifically, I'm talking about the people who take no notice of what's good or right or best for most and just do the Very Rude Thing they want to do in the moment they want to do it, with no consideration for their neighbors.
It's the attitude that bothers me more than the actions -- though I usually find the related actions abhorrent as well.
They're immature and entitled. Ignorant and gross.
And, gosh, do I hate when people get away with it.
Speaking of ... this past weekend, before the Bluffton Christmas parade started -- on the most crowded but jubilant day in all of Old Town -- a mother was frustrated by the long wait for her hot beverage, which is normal, and she expressed this frustration by throwing the hot drink at the waitress who delivered it to her, which is not normal.
Then the mother, WHO WAS WITH HER CHILD, left.
Just like that. Gone.
Happy life lesson, kiddo. Enjoy the show, coffee shop.
The waitress was OK except for the places where the hot liquid touched her skin. Those places had blisters.
It was not a good scene. Nor was it very Christmas-y.
But again, it amazes me. I wonder if the woman is even sorry for it. Whether she thinks about it and buries her head in her hands. Or if she's just going through life as if it never happened, or worse, as if it deserved to happen.
I'm not hopeful.
If I had seen the woman do it, I know I would've said something. I know I would've been ready with my camera.
Then what, though?
I just don't know.
I'd suggest we all wear license plates for accountability, but I know the success rate of that solution.
Follow columnist and senior editor Liz Farrell at twitter.com/elizfarrell and facebook.com/elizfarrell.
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This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Farrell: To the animal who threw trash out the window today, I saw that."