Bonfire Of The Savoir Vivre

As I sit here at work, stuffing my face with Orange Daifuki Mochi- (In a desperate bid to beat the clock , I didn't have time to eat a real breakfast)- and sipping bad "company" coffee -(in rushing, I opened my coffee canister, in hopes of brewing some as I usually do, only to discover it was empty. So now I have to drink the coffee made here at work 'til I can go buy a real block o' the good stuff: Cafe Caribe or Cafe Bustelo anyone?)- I am pondering this past weekend's adventures. I'm bushed, my body is sore (partying too heartily), and I had a great time! I took some time off and spent the weekend in Boston, visiting Cat. Of course we tore it up, as usual. Stomping and tromping all over town. We Enormous Roomed it up, and I had a few of their signature sangrias (plus a white wine to bring it on home). I will say however, although we were toasted it wasn't nearly as sloppy as our New Year's Eve stint there. But I digress. So the Enormous Room was crowded with other hipsters, it was chill, the music was wicked, and of course we had nowhere to sit. Cat and I kept eyeing up parts of this large couch that was occupied by two other girls. They got up to take what I assumed to be a smoke break, but about 15 minutes later, they still hadn't returned, their purses and jackets took up viable spots. When you frequent some hipster joint, club, bar, everyone tends to indulge their natural inclination to scope out seating (among other things), so I think that when someone pops up for an extended period of time, there is no "my seat." Hey, once you move your meat, you lose your seat... each tired, stiletto heeled woman (or man), for themselves. Needless to say, there were two rather average looking men (trying desperately to appear cool) sitting across from the couch, on the other side of the coffee table, facing where the two girls sat. They were sitting on two leather ottomans, nursing a gin & tonic and beer, respectively. The girls were apparently their dates. Needless to say, the two chicks had downed like two glasses of red wine since we'd been hovering near them. They'd also popped up 2 additional times to take cigarrette breaks (they were probably bored to tears with the two said schmucks). Needless to say, around the 3rd time the girls popped up, Cat and I waited for like five minutes, then Cat walked over politely and asked the guys, "excuse me, do you know the two girls who just go up?" "ummm, yes" they responded cautiously. "Do you know if they're returning or not?" The two guys sort of mumbled a response, rudely, and Cat (I LOVED how she did this!) still in polite mode, said, "Um, well in any event, I think there's plenty of room for four on this couch, don't you?" and proceeded to push the girls' things down willfully, so that we could pop a squat. She didn't leave any room open for negotiation either, I loved it. Hot. The two dill-holes just sat there looking befuddled and discouraging... exchanging looks... laughing at our derring-do, and shrugging, since we didn't leave them with any choice. I also think they thought we wanted to chat with them... whatever, not our types. We sat down, ignored them, and continued the discussion we were having before we moseyed over and plopped down... in "so anyway..." fashion. I think when they realized we weren't interested in them, they just threw in the towel and continued on with their lame looking discussion, defeated. The beauty of this whole situation is that when the girls returned, we made room for them, and they didn't even give a crap. In fact, they were sweet, complimentary (calling us beautiful), and seemed anxious to go (they slammed what had to be their third glass of red)... but their dates seemed intent on nursing their drinks like a teetotaling married couple. It seemed almost as if the two guys were on a date with each other, since they didn't really talk to the other two girls, and were engrossed in each other's company. When the four of them finally got up to leave, we thanked the chicks, and they said, "Oh, there is plenty of room on this couch for four." So it wasn't even an issue with them. Their bitch-ass dates on the other hand, attempted to be dismissive for no reason. I applaud Cat double-time for how she handled that whole matter. As I pop the third mochi in my mouth, replaying this past weekend in my head, I've come to the conclusion we are a society of rude, self important, tactless, undecorous jerks. People walk around as if they're entitled. They're entitled to take up sidewalk space and walk at a snail's pace... horizontally so that people can't pass... they think they're entitled to mow you down with their large baby carriages, because having kids automatically deems them as owners of wide open spaces, we're entitled to sit in restaurants and subways talking and screeching loudly on our cellular phones, oh, and let's not forget the disgusting, but self-entitled, pig who sat 2 feet away from Cat and I at Diva's Indian Bistro, as he sllllllluuuurped, smacked, and licked his fingers throughout his and our whole meal... loudly... belching his post meal satisfaction, while we watched (and listened) with disgust all over our faces. Last but most certainly not least, I would like to give a shout-out to the gent at the coat check-in booth of the Museum of Fine Arts... who barked his disapproval at the frazzled check-in man... telling him to hang his jacket here, button it! Don't put my umbrella there, put it here! You aren't placing it on the rack properly! Why didn't you button my jacket??? Don't just hang it like that... you didn't BUTTON it properly!... 'til the check-in man had to tell him, "sir, I know how to do my job!" It takes 2 seconds to check your jacket or any other items you don't want to carry around, and to get your claim tag, but because of this jerk, Cat and I waited like five minutes to check a jacket and a freakin' sweater! As raunchy as my sense of humor is, as colorful as my language may be, and as abrasive as I can be, I have impeccable manners. My mother made sure of it... she demanded/demands it. I am always gracious (impatient), but gracious nevertheless. I had a great time this weekend, but I'm left wondering what happened to common manners and courtesy?... I'm also cursing myself for not getting several packs of mochi as opposed to the two. ...