Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Solving Problems the Adult Way

Rock - paper - scissors, eenie-meenie-miney-moe, pick a number, flip a coin, calling dibs, or first one there, are all great decision making techniques.
`
Can't decide who gets to go first? Rock-paper-scissor for it! More than two people? eenie-meanie-miney-moe can solve all problems of the world, well except for the budget, but I'm pretty sure nothing can help Washington D.C. decision makers.
`
It's amazing how children are able to solve all problems with the previous named techniques. There is rarely any fighting, name calling, or grudge holding. Mad about the outcome? Should have played paper instead of scissor if you want to beat rock.
`
Somehow along the way, as adults, we've forgotten how to solve problems in this diplomatic way and are now using less effective methods.
`
Adults scream, argue, and shoot bullets at each other.
`
I was running errands this morning, and as I was about to check out I hear the walls crashing around me, followed by yelling.
`
Luckily, it wasn't the walls, it was just a large display of swim goggles, fins, and swimsuits. The display did not fall on anyone, contrary to what the yelling implied.
`
Instead, it was a woman who knocked the display over in protest of another customer grabbing the last pair of tie-dyed TYR goggles.
`
Really lady? Knocking over a giant display, in hopes of getting the goggles you want, was your best plan?
`
Employees came running, the manager hopped over benches to get to the temper tantrum zone. It was chaos! People came from all over the store, register attendees left the cash register to check out the hullabaloo.
`
"She took my goggles!" The woman screamed. The manager asked the person holding the hot ticket goggles if she stole them from the first. The holder of the goggles said she did not, that she took them off the rack, and then the other woman insisted they be given to her.
`
Remember those days? When you saw someone with something you really wanted? Only it was over fruit snacks, Jell-o, or a toy. You would cry and complain and your parents told you to work it out. So you did.
`
The manager let the person with the goggles check out, and escorted her to the register while other employees stood guard over the crazy lady who decided rock-paper-scissors, or flipping a coin was beneath her.
`
I don't know what happened to the crazy lady, I left as soon as I could, but I have a feeling she is going to end up on the six o'clock news in the crazy people section.
`
If this is the adult world I'm going to have to be associated with, I'm going back to kindergarten where things make sense, and animal cracker debates will be settled with no blood shed.

No comments:

Post a Comment