August 13, 2002

Is it bad that I sometimes hate people instantly based on the tiniest of details?

Example:

I was leaving work today and had just pushed the "down" button for the elevator when a girl came rushing up and pushed it again. The button was already lit, clearly indicating that I had already pushed the button and an elevator would be there shortly. Did she think the elevator would come faster if she pushed it twice? Obviously she thought it would. Either that or she was in such a big, important hurry that the thought of just standing and waiting was tortuous to her and compelled her take some sort of action, no matter how fruitless.

No matter what the reason I think this type of behavior demonstrates a truly obsessive, control freak-type personality, and therefore, I hated her instantly.

Clearly the elevator button light exists to indicate whether or not the button has been pushed, but the other day I found myself in quite a quandry when I walked up to the elevator and saw a lady standing and waiting in front of it, and the down button was not lit.

A few thoughts raced through my mind. Had she pushed the button already? She must have. Who waits for an elevator without pushing the button? Maybe she's already pushed it but the light goes off after a few seconds, or maybe the light is broken. But what if she's waiting for someone who is coming down and therefore has no need to push the button? I should push it, but when I do am I insulting her by insinuating that she might be dumb enough to stand in front of an elevator without pushing the button?

I pushed the button and quickly looked at her for her reaction. She seemed fine with it. In the end she got into the elevator with me, so she was obviously not waiting for someone. Had she pushed the button or not? I will never know.

These are the types of important questions which occupy my mind.