Anger Management

I've most definitely inherited my mother's hothead/mouth. If someone does something that I think needs to be called out, my better judgements go flying out the window.

AJ and I went down to the beach to surf the last of the hurricane swell. I didn't know how long I would be out there, so I took a chair, a backpack and a towel. I set all my stuff up & got in the water. Now, I could be completely out of line in thinking this, but I just assume that people understand some sort of beach etiquette. In other words, it's common sense not to smoke a cigar 5 feet from someone when the wind is blowing in their direction. Don't swim in front of a surfer. And you don't set up your stuff on top of someone else's when there is plenty of open sand.

So when this family of four sets their stuff up, honestly 2 feet in FRONT of my stuff, I got pissed. I mean, it wasn't even like they were just sitting on top of me, they put their stuff in front of mine. Between me and the ocean. Common courtesy - stagger yourself. Move 2 feet to the left of right. No big deal. I was in the water the whole time this was going on and the more I was out there, the angrier I got. 

When I finally got out of the water...

Me: I just wanted to let you know that that was really rude.

Fugly Old Man: Oh, I didn't realize that beach was your property (so without specifying what exactly he did that was rude, he knew exactly what I was talking about, without even know that the stuff behind them was mine).

Me: Are you on vacation?

FOM: No, actually I live here. (Sad.. you'd think a local would have a little more respect than that.)

Me: I made some comment about living here longer than he has. (I've lived here my whole life, which you don't find often. Not in this town. Yeah, people live out in the country & then move here.. I've spent my whole life in this neighborhood. And judging by his bumpkin accent, I was right.)

FOM: I wouldn't be so sure about that, CHICK.

Excuse me, chick?! WTH? Who do you think you are? I'm carrying a surfboard, so I become "chick"? Whew, gotta calm myself down just thinking about it.

I proceeded to grab my stuff & sit a couple feet in front of their set up. I tried my best to stay there as long as I wanted, but I couldn't deal with his ignorant comments. Yeah, it's funny to point out a guy in a Speedo, but when that guy looks like he could be a model, the comment isn't funny anymore. He just wishes he could rock one. And the fact that he had brought his entire refrigerator/kitchen to the beach leads me to believe he really isn't as local as he claims to be. If you live a couple of blocks from the ocean, why would you pack enough for a weeks' worth of food?

ANYWAY. I left and caught up with my parents. Somehow just hanging out with the town council/beach patrol made me feel better... who knows why. I guess if I encountered another douche bag, I could send my mom after them. And then have the cops there to pull them apart. :-)