A week we should all embrace
There was a brief comment in the Wichita Eagle editorial section Sunday announcing that this is National Pet Peeve Week. Whoa, if only I had known, I'd have made my list! Of course, this only is a six- or eight-page paper most weeks and that's not nearly enough room, even if we leave everything else out.
Oh pshaw, I'll just give you a brief rundown anyway. The most irritating people I know are those who are just so full of themselves that they turn every incident, every situation, every story into one that is all about them. They drive me crazy! They are worse than people who talk non-stop. They are worse than conspiracy theorists. They bring out the absolute worst in me. The older I get, the less tolerant I become. Boy, am I going to be a cranky old lady!
Here's another one: the guy who enters the passing zone on U.S.-50 and stays in the inside lane instead of moving over to allow cars to go around him. The sign says, "Keep right except to pass." How tough is that to understand? Yet there is that idiot cruising at 63 miles per hour while everyone else tries to adjust and avoid the semi-trailer drivers who are all on the verge of a coronary. (And while we are on the topic of highway idiots, who designed the passing zones on U.S.-50 anyway? Many are way too short to be effective.)
I've probably said enough in the past year or so about people who toss their trash wherever they darn well please. You surely know where they rank on my list. And I have made mention more than once about the kids who regularly trash the bank planter, the park area, and the lot across the street.
It's possible that, at this point, I could alleviate a pet peeve of more than one Peabody mom who is upset with her washer/dryer for "eating" her child's clothing. Not to worry, Mom, I probably have those items in the stack I am collecting at the bank. One of these days I am going to do a display of the clothing and "accessory" items
This is really rather therapeutic.
Tell you what, I'll extend the National Pet Peeve week a little. (I just love having this column and being able to do things like that!) After you read this, you make your list. Post it on your refrigerator door. Use a big marker with lots of arrows and asterisks. You will feel better, I promise! If you get really bold and are willing to sign your name, send me a couple of your top 10 and I'll print them.
I guess I really don't need to go on and on about the pet peeves I have. I just realized that I can do that right here whenever the spirit moves me!
— SUSAN MARSHALL
