One ongoing issue since becoming an adult (becoming a dad especially) is having to deal with people that feel the need to tell me that they are busy and/or tired. I think since becoming a father I am more cognizant of these throw away beginning statements in conversation. Strange perhaps, but this realization is consistent with other less obvious ways I have changed as a result of fatherhood. For example, I know that I have become far more emotional and sensitive to any horrific news effecting children and parents- school shootings, abductions, untimely tragedies in general surrounding families. I can’t even watch Cold Case re-runs or Law and Order SVU since having kids. It hits too close to home. These new realizations about myself all make sense and I am totally onboard in this capacity.
But for some reason as the title for this post indicates I have reached my limit when it comes to people telling me they are busy and/or tired. I am not rude to the person or show any outward sign of contempt, but I don’t inquire, I don’t investigate, I don’t explore. I basically stop listening and instead look for ways to extract myself from the conversation. If I know the person well enough I tell them to stop because they are making me angry. Not a hateful, violent or vengeful anger, but more like the same type and level of anger that emerges when you are sitting immediately behind a car that doesn’t pull out into the intersection far enough when turning left. You know what I mean?
My issue on the busy/tired mantra is not because my life is any busier or that I think the other person is full of it- quite the contrary really. My issue is that I just assume that anyone that can fog up a mirror is busy and tired. Let’s move on from stating the obvious. Isn’t being busy and tired part of being part of the human race? I think so. Certainly now as a parent I do.
outtatheboat 