&^$#*@!*#^&

I fully realize Pete Townshend is not talking about courtesy, but the song title, “Just A Little Is Enough”, certainly applies where this ever-dwindling commodity is concerned.

I took the train into the city yesterday. The train was less crowded because it was heading downtown later in the day. Still, on the ride in, some guy in dark sunglasses was listening to his smart phone without headphones. The sound of his music all the way downtown was %$^&%$#@ irritating. Why is it ok to subject people to your annoying noise and tell me, please, what the &@%!%^$#* happened to headphones? Clearly, he is an inconsiderate, arrogant jerk! I had wanted to get up and change places, but thought my wife, who was sitting with a friend, might accuse me of making a bigger deal out of it than necessary.

See Richard seethe.

The train ride back home from downtown was a little more crowded. 

Me seething

Three seats away, some other idiot kept listening to his phone without headphones and, as an added bonus, another woman six seats in the other direction, yammered on her phone for the entire train ride! Since I was sitting with my wife and one of her friends, I hadn’t packed my own headphones. At one point, Susan consolingly suggested one of them would surely be getting off the train soon. Eventually, the train car emptied out, taking the ignoramus away and his noise with him. My luck, predictably, the yammering woman stayed until the end of the line, her pointless, self-important interjections becoming louder and louder as the train car emptied out.

See Richard seethe.

I would not subject people to irritating sounds, or impose my private blithering phone conversation on people who are not doing that to me. Am I too %^%$#*&^ considerate? I’m not perfect, but basic courtesy I can do. In fact, I barely give it a thought; it just happens because it’s supposed to.

FYI

1) Don’t block the passing lane, move the !@%^$#* over.

2) Pay attention at the traffic light, when it turns green, *&!@^%$ go. 

3) At least go the %$#*&!@ speed limit.

4) Don’t !@^&*%$# cut in, wait in line like the rest of us.

5) Buy headphones, spare everyone else on the train your *&@!^%$ crappy taste and dunce-like behavior.

Is it seriously too much to ask? As far as courtesy is concerned, just a little is enough.