Things I Ponder

Why...

• Do people gather on the street in front of doorways? And I don't mean just the smokers forced onto the streets from their smoke-free workplace.
• Why do people walk 6 abreast on a crowded street?
• Why do people wait for something noisy to start up (car engine, plane, the printer at work) before they start talking?
• Why do people wait for the light to turn red, then decide to cross the street?
• Why do people walking on a busy street cut across the path of other people when there's room to go around them, then seem startled to discover someone in front of them?
• Why do people blow smoke in other people's faces?
• Why do people ask questions that repeat what you just said? (ie, Me, answering the phone: "XYZ Library, may I help you?" Caller: "Is this the XYZ Library?")
• Why do people think you need to hear their life story without asking first?
• Why do people push both the Up and Down buttons when summoning an elevator? Do they really want to go in both directions?
• Why do people cough into the other end of the phone as soon as you pick up your receiver and say "Hello"? And why do they think you can hear them over the noise of barking dogs, blaring stereos, and/or screaming babies? Shouldn't the fact that they have to ask you to speak up give them enough of a clue?
• Why do big people who normally would need two seats on a train think they can wiggle into a space 4 inches across on the subway bench?