I was walking through the mall with a friend the other day, and I was amazed at how little attention people paid to where they were walking. We were cut off at the entrances to three stores by shoppers who couldn’t wait a second to blow their money inside until we passed by, several groups blocked the walkways, parents let their kids run amok, and some moron left a full cup of soda by a store entrance, risking a kick-over and a slip-and-fall lawsuit.
The issue of when a food container becomes trash has been a bone I have picked for years. My mother has told me that, back in the good old days before fast food, people were at a loss when disposable cups and plates were introduced. Back then, everything was a permanent wash and reuse item. Now, people can’t get rid of empty cups or plates fast enough. In fact, it seems there is an unwritten rule that states any empty carrier of food or drink, upon becoming empty, must leave the hands at once. This means that there are not enough trash containers in the world to meet the need for instant relief from that–wait for it–empty food wrapper. Oh my! One more second in your hand and you could lose your street cred for life! Public shunning! The ducking stool or the stocks, or flaming remarks on Facebook! Board a spaceship and hope you can land on Mars and stay there until the shame goes away!
Of course, we’ve all seen footage of distracted tablet users walking into open manhole covers or mall fountains, but these people didn’t appear to be texting or using Bluetooth devices. They were just ignorant zombies. Worse, they weren’t getting paid to shamble onto the set of The Walking Dead. What is with people? I sure hope they don’t drive cars like that.
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