Woman's Work.

I usually try to respect the privacy of the people I pick up. It means a lot to me to preface personal questions regarding medical problems with, "It's none of my business at all, but..." or "Don't feel the need to answer this, I'm just curious..." I don't ask the young ladies coming from the women's clinic anything about where I picked them up at. I don't ask people in wheelchairs how they ended up in thier chair.

The reason for all of this? Because an uncomfortable ride with someone who doesn't like you is a lot longer than a quiet, yet amiable ride; and I'm all about keeping my rides short.

On the other hand, given that I know how to phrase a medical question just so as to not give people any problems, I also know how to make someone feel fairly uncomfortable by pretending to act dumb and asking simple questions. I imagine everyone has this ability, I just happen to be put in the situation where I can use this power for good. (If you can't tell, I've been reading the comic books again. What can I say, Captain America is dead. Somebodies got to take his place.)

He came out of his apartment building. Mid twenties, roughly 260lbs, Oakley sunglasses, camouflage shorts, tight black T-shirt (accentuating the spare tire around his waist), shiny (really shiny) infantry boots, and a high and tight haircut (a good one too.) I was assuming him to be former military. Army or Marines. Definitely not Navy. (I didn't shine my boots when I was in the service, and there would be no way that I would do it now that I'm out.)

He lugged a huge bag and some laundry detergent, and threw all of it in the back as he said gruffly, "gotta do the woman's work today."

huh?

"I already think you dress and present yourself like a jerk-off, but now you're going to try and come off like you're too good to do your own laundry because you've got a penis?" Was my thought.

I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed that he was a veteran from Iraq and that he was a little dinged the head because of it when, before I could even get used to not disliking him he started talking about how he's going into the army as soon as his medical waiver comes in.

He wasn't even in yet and was already acting like a prick. That's unacceptable. If you're active duty or deployed guard, by all means, say whatever it is you want to say...but I don't like wannabes acting and dressing tough, saying dumb sexist things cause it makes them feel more manly, and carrying on like they know a damn thing; and this is when I started using my powers on him by asking simple questions. (Out of respect or his privacy, I won't write his responses, trust me, it's embarrassing...)

"Medical waiver, huh? What for?"

"When you think you'll ship out? Oh that long?"

"Better keep your nose clean man...I remember when I got to basic, all kinds of guys got kicked out for having drugs in their system."

"Do you really think it works like that, cause I just got out of the Navy after five years and have never heard of anything like that."

"Do you really think the doctor was lying to you?"

It was a long and painful trip, but by the time we got to the laundromat, I could see by the look on his face that his ego had been taken down a peg or two, and from only a few simple questions.

Hubris is a word, and it can only be cut down by other words. Generally women are pretty good at doing that sort of thing, as they have to be sometimes when it comes to men; but when it comes to a moron like that guy, I was glad to be doing some woman's work.