“Perceived Slights”
Look at you over there.
Seething.
Angry at every turn.
Can you see yourself?
You’re ridiculous.
Your fat equestrian pants thighs squeezing into the last remaining seat.
You flippantly look at the meek gentleman sitting beside you.
You know, the one who’s rail thin.
Your body is invading his space.
You exceed the seat you squeezed into.
One time, you read a snarky article in some snarky magazine, about “man spreading”.
You believe that he is at fault.
But I’ve seen pita bread thicker’n him.
Your furrowed brow, your audible tut.
You’re invading the space of everyone on the train.
You’re “perceived slight spreading”.
Keep your overtly aggressive gestures to yourself, as well as your veiled passive aggressive ones.
Your energy is toxic.
I can’t possibly know what has helped you to arrive here in this moment.
But as I observe you, I can tell it likely that all the things you react to negatively, are decidedly innocuous until you put your charming mind around them.
Relax.
The gentleman beside you, a registered stoic, has ridden in silence, despite the discomfort of your polyester thigh rubbing his knee every time you jostle to dramatize your perceived slight.
Your stop is coming up.
Better get yourself ready to shake your head because only one half of the doors will open upon exiting.
Also, you will be inconvenienced by those standing to the right on the escalator, as you try to squeeze by.
Lastly, as your bring your morning coffee to your lips, you will shake an admonishing fist in the air at some imagined deity, as the cream the barista put in the cup curdled.
Soured.
Much like you.
