What is wrong with people? Really?

For those Rand fans out there, I equate this question to "Who is John Galt?" And, yes, I really did ask someone - a stranger - this evening, "What is wrong with people?" It is a sad state of affairs when you find yourself asking that question and from a place of resigned but real utter disappointment and concern.

The setting

It was about 6:00 pm on a cold winter Thursday. I stopped by a local grocery store to grab a few items.

It was not my normal stop, and there was just something palpable in the air at this store. You could almost feel the animosity. Nobody smiled. Everyone looked angry. There was no need for eye contact with anyone. After all, this is no community and there is no need to kindly acknowledge strangers. 

The incidents

Incident one: The checkout aisle

As if grabbing my groceries were not unpleasant enough, there was the issue of checking out. Unfortunately, this store did not offer the option for self-checkout.

Each line was tremendously long. I walked from one to another and was amazed at how slowly the workers moved. Upon finally choosing the lesser of all evils, I could not help but notice the girl working in my aisle looked like the walking dead.

Her complete listlessness seriously made me worry for this country. What has happened? How could she move so slowly? Even worse, she made no effort to acknowledge where she was?

What was wrong with this girl?

Okay, let's be careful here. I must not judge. Tolerance is everything. After all, she may have had a bad day. She is not paid much. That job must be tiring. She should not have to rush.

No, stop.

I am tired of making excuses. There were plenty of things wrong with this girl. She was lazy, and you could see the laziness in the way she moved. She took no pride in her job, and probably felt she was entitled to make more money. She did not care about customer service whatsoever. She did not want to be there and made no effort to hide that. Why, after all, should she be bothered?

Incident two: The people in line in front of me

As I stood in this line, I had plenty of time to observe my surroundings. More than enough time, indeed.

It was a congested area, and I could not help but first hear the couple in line in front of me. If I were in dark alley and saw these two, I would not run. I would not scream. I would instead start to pray. 

Their appearance was rough, and I live in a city and am not easily shocked. But, wait, I digress.

First to address what I heard. The language coming out of their mouths was just foul. There were plenty of f-bombs, and worse.

What was wrong with these people?

Their appearance was even scarier. They had their own sense of fasion, but it was not the kind that would make a mother proud. There were piercings and low, low pants. The hair was a statement for sure.

These people were mean, and they wanted me and anyone else around them to know it. They were proud of it. Funny thing was, they were talking about other people in the store. I kid you not!   

So why do we all have to take it?

What has happened to a world in which the norm is to accept the languid behavior of others in public? Can nobody be bothered anymore? Are there no gentlemen out there who would ask these bullies to stop talking that way in front of a woman?

I know that is asking too much. Anything goes these days. What's a bit of course language in the grocery store line?

Incident three: The truck

By the time I got out of the store, I was ready to go. Clearly.

Oddly, though, I could not find my Volvo. Where was it? The parking lot was not all that well lit, and I started looking and feeling frazzled. Why did I not see it on any aisle?

Finally I figured out why. A gigantic pickup truck had parked beside my car, at an angle I have never seen in my 25 years of being a legal driver. 

The end of it was angled over toward my car in a way that almost cut into it. The truck was slanted into its place. I could not believe it. There was no way out.

What was wrong with the driver of this truck? Who parks like that?

Another shopper walked over and looked at it with me. She said, "That person must have been drunk but that is no excuse." 

At this point, I felt angry and fantasized about doing something to this truck! Wait, what was wrong with me? This anger felt real. Why would a trip to the grocery store be so downright awful?  Where was human kindness?  

An angel

About that time, an angel appeared, and I truly believe it was a guardian angel.  A male voice said, "Can I help you? I used to park cars and think I can guide you out of there."

I looked over, and there was a young guy. He appeared to be homeless but I was not sure. 

His voice was so kind and clear. It was comforting.

I looked at him and said, "What's wrong with people?" And I meant it.

He said, "They don't care about anyone but themselves."

It was so simple and tragically so true. 

The man then told me to get in the car and roll down the window, and that he could guide me out of the place.

I was nervous and anxious at this point but felt like he knew what he was talking about.

Slowly, and with much guidance, I got my car out of there.  Of course, during that time, a random girl went barrelling through the open space beside my car. She sure was in a hurry. What was wrong with that girl?  

The entire time I was backing up, the system in my car that warns me of things behind the car beeped in one continuous beep. It was telling me not to back up any further.

That reassuring voice, though, would patiently tell me to cut the car a little bit more this way or that way.  This voice knew exactly to what degree I should move the steering wheel to get out of that spot. 

And there was more.

When I got out of the space, the man walked up to my window. Really, he was a young man - maybe 30 or so.

I asked him again, "What's wrong with people? Really?"

And he said, "Just keep praying. That is all that we can do. And, I will see you one day in heaven." 

And, he meant it.

He then said, "Don't let things like this make you nervous or panic. You can handle them. I gave you directions to get out of the space because I wanted you to know you could do it." 

HIs smile was huge. He was missing many teeth, but that did not stop this kind soul from sharing a warm gesture.

You see, here on a cold night, this guy was probably looking for shelter. But, he was not worried about himself.

He wanted to help me. And he wanted to teach me a few things, too.

This humble man who has no permanent home and no earthly possessions was my guardian angel. 

I truly believe that.

As I left the parking lot, my eyes filled with tears.

There is a lot wrong with people today, but this kind soul - this guardian angel - reminded me of what was right about a pure heart and someone who trusts and believes in God.

I will always be haunted by this man and wish I could have done more for him than give him a bit of money as a thank-you.

He showed up out of nowhere. His voice calmed me. He helped me out. And, he provided a concrete example of how God works in this world.

This man with so little truly has so much. I can only pray I do see him in heaven.