zenexistence

I was a total dick to a guy yesterday.

There were three people in my piercing room. The girl I was piercing, and her girl friend with her boyfriend
This story centers on the boyfriend.

I had just finished piercing the girl and was telling her to lay back -- as her face had taken this unnatural, albeit morbidly interesting, green pallor -- as she was saying that she didn't feel so good.
Right on, semi-normal reaction.
I told her take deep breaths and was easing her back into the chair in an effort to keep her from passing out, when the boyfriend intones all sorts of loudly, "Hey, man, how much ..."

I made direct eye contact with the indevegetable sporting the overactive lips and in a very clear, quiet tone asked, "You're talking to me. Why the fuck are you talking to me? Do you NOT see that I'm busy with your friend?"

This came out quite cold, I have to admit. That combined with the fact that I wear a surgical mask, which provides you with a view of only my eyes, probably made the chastisement even harsher.

Yes, you may say, "Well, gee, didn't you come off as a complete dick."
Sure, maybe I did.
But, you also have to take into account that if I had offered any more than the minute amount of attention away from her that I had and she'd happened to pass out, I may have missed that and she woulda coulda tumbled from my chair to join the land of cracked melons and possible concussions.

The kid literally hung his head, and I immediately [after checking on my clients well-being] felt the slightest twinge of guilt.
Also, it hit me that I could have toned him out completely, and I normally would have, but he had irritated me from the second that he'd walked in.
He was one of those brash, machismo-drenched kids that has to prove to everyone how 'badass' he is by being over the top in everything; dress, mannerisms, speech intonation, yadda yadda.

I made a point to pull him aside after I'd given the girl her aftercare instructions, and apologized a bit.
"Sorry. But that last thing I think you would want was for me to let your friend pass out and crash to the floor."
And he said, "Naw, man, it's cool. I was a dick."

Well, yeah, maybe you were but the important morale issue is that you recognized that fact. It takes a decent man to recognize his flaws. It takes an even better man to grow from said flaws; using them as one might a negative building block to create something positive, thereby allowing said person to achieve a delicate blend of wisdom and personal development.
Props to you.

Dick.

-Scotty

PS Everyone that hasn't, check out Baileys new spread. Right now. Wasting further time would be ludicrous.
Two words: Absolutely and completely brilliant.
That's four words, actually.
Bite ass.
That's two.