Things That Make My Stomach Turn

I was completely lost in my own thoughts, barely paying attention to my surroundings, when something snapped me back to reality.

The guy at the front of the line was tearing into the teenage cashier. He looked respectable enough. He had a blazer and casual pants on, but definitely needed a few lessons in decency. First, she wasn’t scanning fast enough for his liking. Then, he claimed she shorted him five dollars.

As the line stretched longer, everyone did the universal retail dodge: eyes down, silent, just hoping the guy would get his money and disappear. I hate conflict. I avoid it at all costs. I don’t know if it’s seeing rage and anger up close at a young age or my slight height, conflict makes me extremely uncomfortable.

But watching him pick on a teenager, who was obviously trying her best to help him, crossed the line.

“Give her a break,” I said, stepping up. “You got your money. It’s time to go.”

I braced myself, fully expecting a punch to fly. Fortunately, he just called me a name, grumbled something about me minding my own business, and walked out of the store.

The Code We Live By

Scenes like that make my stomach turn. People who go off on service workers are exercising a cheap, power-trip authority that bugs me to no end. My parents raised me to believe that whether you’re talking to a cashier, garbageman, or the President of the United States, you treat people with basic respect.

Clearly, that guy missed the lesson.

Reflecting on the whole ordeal got me thinking about other things that instantly sour my mood:

• Casual Rudeness: It costs zero dollars to be decent to people.
• Speakerphone Speakers in Public: Browsing videos on max volume, taking speakerphone calls, or playing music in a waiting room or on public transit without headphones.
• Left-Behind Pet Waste: Leaving dog waste right next to a sidewalk or on a community walking trail. If you commit to owning a pet, part of the deal is cleaning up after it so your neighbors don’t have to navigate a landmine field on an evening walk.

• Forgotten Office Fridge Food: Science experiments taking up shelf space for three months straight–count me out.
• People Who Don’t Return Their Shopping Carts: It’s the ultimate test of self-governance. Walking 20 feet to put a cart in the corral costs nothing, yet people leave them blocking empty spots or drifting toward car doors.
• The “Cut-in-at-the-Last-Second” Driver: Waiting until a lane completely ends—past a mile of signposted warnings—and then forcing their way into traffic ahead of everyone who waited patiently in line. Yes, I know the idea behind zipper merges, but there’s also something about accountability and looking out for other drivers.

Maybe it all comes down to a simple truth: life is just easier—and a whole lot better—when we pay a little more attention to the people around us. Whether it’s having a worker’s back at the checkout, sticking with your team through the lean years, or simply pitching in so someone else doesn’t have to clean up your mess, decency isn’t complicated. We don’t need to agree on everything, but taking a second to show basic respect costs nothing—and it just might keep someone else’s stomach from turning.

You’re Up!

I’ve aired out my pet peeves—now it’s your turn. What’s the one everyday thing that instantly turns your stomach or tests your patience? Drop it in the comments below.

Images by Pexels.