Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Community Service

Most times, I'm a nice person. I like to treat people well and be positive. I like to do things that help out the community and make the world a better place. Which is probably why I ended up volunteering to represent the profession at career day today at a local high school.

A small team of coworkers and I set up a booth and had handouts ready to deal with moody, rambunctious teenagers. A few of them were actually interested and asked pertinent questions. Most were just wandering around from booth to booth, collecting the free pens and enjoying time out of the classroom. Then there were the few idiots who like to cause mischief in order to grab some attention (even negative attention), if it helps them stand out, however brief.

One particular idiot was carrying a guitar and decided to approach our booth when we had quite a big crowd of students laughing at our cheesy presentation. The guitar idiot made his way to the front of the crowd and started making wise cracks about my profession. I didn't mind that, because we kept it light and fun for the students, and we had used the same jokes earlier in the day.

Then guitar idiot asked us about how much we made. I told him, We make enough to do the things we like to do for fun! When he asked, Like what?, I told him, Fun things only adults get to enjoy. That got a laugh out of the other students.

Then the guitar idiot started asking inappropriate questions about the opposite sex and office hanky panky. I tried to be polite and steer the discussion towards other subjects, but the guitar idiot just kept getting louder and more obscene when I didn't take his bait. There were women present, and I don't think they liked the direction the jokes were heading. Guitar idiot was getting on my nerves, because he was getting crass and rude. So I shut him down and said that anyone who comes to work just to play hanky panky instead of doing their job will soon get fired and be unemployed; and no one wants to play hanky panky with a loser like that.

The students laughed at that, and I could tell that guitar idiot was pissed and getting ready to make a smart reply. But the bell rang for lunch and the kids dispersed. By the time we broke down our booth in the afternoon, I was tired and feeling a bit grouchy. I wasn't feeling so upbeat and positive when we left the building to go home.

On our way to the parking lot, we came across guitar idiot, sitting on the curb with his delinquent friends, trying to look cool and playing his guitar. He saw us coming and made wisecracks about us so his buddies would laugh. One of my coworkers asked them why they weren't in class. Guitar idiot puffed up and said he didn't feel like going to class.

So I told him, "You should try to go to classes more."

He snickered, "Why? So I could be a drone like you, stuck in a boring job?"

I couldn't resist answering, "No, because I've heard your guitar playing and it sucks. Frankly, you're better off getting an education. Don't be a fool; stay in school."

Most times, I'm a nice person. But there are a few times when I'm not very nice at all.

15 comments:

  1. Just what guitar boy needed to here me thinks Mr Eros, Bravo!!

    I bet his little group of "friends" were wanting to wet themselves after hearing that!

    It was just a case of well timed honest feedback for the little jerker!

    How serendipitous was it that he just happened to be sitting waiting to croon for on your return to the car... and for his sake, he still has choices... climb out of the gutter and get some education or stay there...

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  2. You reached more kids with a positive message. Not a bad day's work.

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  3. I think that putting him straight was a nice thing to do.
    I would have been evil and would've encouraged him to go busking on the High Street.
    Sx

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  4. Oh, Eros. What a put down! That little twerp certainly got his comeuppance.

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  5. what a jackass.. some people's kids.. He certainly got what he deserved at the end of the day..
    btw I came here via Miss Tara..

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  6. Princess, It was very serendipitous to find that guitar idiot as I was leaving. It was as if the universe wanted me to set him straight. He definitely needed some guidance to get his act together.

    And his friends did bust out laughing after I told him off. I'm hoping he'll become more mature and think before he speaks!

    XL, Yeah, I think it's nice to be positive and encourage kids. At the very least, I think we got a few of them to think about their futures and what they want to do in life.

    Positive influences are a great way to help kids. Although, I noticed that for a stubborn few, sometimes a kick in the rear helps get the message across. Some things are best learned the hard way. Hopefully, those things are few and far in between.

    Scarlet B, Yeah, I'm hoping that twerp will learn a lesson about humility and take the opportunity to better himself. It's a rough world out there, and it's better to be prepared if you're going to venture into it.

    I'm hoping I also saved the public from this twerp's horrid guitar playing and stopped another bum from hassling hard working people for loose change.

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  7. Tara, Most times, I try not to let the idiots get to me. But I admit, it was kind of fun telling him off at the end. I'm hoping guitar idiot will have learned something and maybe grow up a bit. Because not everyone is going to react so nicely and patiently to rude, immature people.

    That bit about the guitar guy at a party is so true! There's always some dude like that at really big gatherings, who thinks he's all that, when he's not!

    IDV, I was trying to be a good, positive person, but at the end of the day, I was tired and didn't feel like putting up with this kid's crap. In the end, I think I did him a favor and maybe helped him realize what a total tool he was! Truth hurts, but hey, sometimes, honesty really is the best policy.

    Ms HW, Welcome! Tara's is one of my fave places to visit.

    That dude was a jackass. I blame the hormones and chuck it up to inexperience and immaturity. But I figured, well, he's got to learn to grow up if he wants to succeed in life. And I may have been harsher to him than I had originally planned, but sometimes, people need a rude awakening to get their act together. I'm hoping he'll grow up now and think before he acts.

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  8. Where can I get one of those free pens?

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  9. MJ, You can get one or more of those free pens at the next job fair. Sometimes, I go to those just for the free pens, post its, and key chains the other companies provide!

    As for my company's pens, well, they aren't all that great. The generic Papermate ones that come ten in a pack at the store last much longer and are much easier to write with compared to the cheap ones the company orders for the job/career fairs. Interestingly enough, our pen supplies at work consist of the Papermate ones!

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  10. Ha Ha Ha , bet he didnt look so cool in front of his loser mates after that :-) . You can look on this as performing a public service

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  11. Beast, His friends did bust out laughing. Hopefully, this kid wises up so there would be one less idiot in the world.

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  12. Good for you! I think sometimes it's better to fire straight from the hip than to try to be nice.

    You'd done your best to be polite etc and it didn't work.

    At least that'll teach him to think twice about sassing his betters.

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  13. Roses, Ha! You're right. Some lessons are best learned the hard way.

    Some people just refuse to take a hint. You have to bludgeon them with the cold, hard truth.

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  14. You exercised an admirable amount of self control..he deserved an El-Kabong from Quiksdraw McGraw!

    Hey kids..
    Score Goals Not Drugs :)

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  15. Donn, I was trying to be patient and understanding, recalling how I was a smart ass twit at that age, too.

    Then I remembered that at that age, I needed the occasional smack down to make me realize what a jackass I was as a teenager, and I needed to grow up.

    So, I think I did him a favor.

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