Attitude isn't everything, but it is important. Attitude can have a big effect on how you deal with a situation. So can humor.
Last Thursday I was at the grocery store after work. I was tired. My ride was late. I had groceries to get into the refrigerator. I was irritated. I called, and was informed by ride would be there is about two minutes.
Luckily it was one of my favorite drivers. He is a nut. We have fun teasing each other. When I saw him, I blamed him for being late, even though we both know it's not his fault. It's the schedule. As I was getting in the vehicle, he said, "I have more bad news for you. We have another pickup."
On any other day, that statement would have made me even more upset than I already was. I live less than a mile from the grocery store. We hardly ever have to pick up someone else; I almost always get dropped off right away. The ride was already late, my groceries needed to get in the refrigerator, I wanted to go home!! But since I was riding with my favorite driver and we have so much fun together, my frustration ebbed away. Plus, I just decided: what can I do about the situation? Can I force him to take me home first? No. He has to follow his manifest. Can I pitch a fit so loud and forceful that he HAS to take me home first? Nope. Can I call Metro, demand to speak to a supervisor, and scream and yell until I get my way? Nada. The schedule is what it is. Occasionally, it can be altered, but not usually. The supervisor and the driver would have simply repeated the Metro Access mantra to me: "THIS IS A SHARED RIDE SERVICE." So what was the point of continuing to be upset?
So we traveled across the freeway and picked up a gentleman at the credit union on the west side of Parmer Lane. We arrived in less than five minutes. On the way, I was entertained with my driver's stories of his recent cruise to Jamaica. When the gentleman we were there for entered the van, I said, "You know, sir, that when you get picked up from a bank you need to have enough cash for everyone in the vehicle." Now, humor can be a very subjective thing. Not everyone "gets" funny. He could have become angry when I said that. Luckily, he had a sense of humor, and we all burst into laughter. He then said, "Next time I'll make my pickup from the KFC across the street." "That won't help you much," I retorted quickly. "Then you'll be expected to have a bucket of chicken for everyone."
I arrived home giggling and less tired than I was fifteen minutes earlier.
The power of humor.
And a positive attitude.
librarianintx
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