Car Scratches...
This entry is an example of when you blame someone else when in fact it is you that is the culprit - of how quick anger can be generated, how motivating it is and then how quick it can change under a different perspective. See if you recognise yourself in any of it…
Pride
I had picked up my new car, every time I saw the it, I was filled with pride and joy. Being proud does have a drawback – not being rational. In fact, the more proud, the less sense one appears to have. In this situation, the extent of my pride led to a very quick feeling of anger when I saw the car bonnet had been painted with (still wet) avian poo! There is something about being so proud of an object and then seeing it covered in shit – it ignites something primal from deep within.
Note: In retrospect, I can sensibly say that I was not expecting the car to remain pristine forever. Also, that being so proud of an object is an ego fuelled fallacy and will only bring you woe. But, this story would not be half as fun if I actually listened to my own sageness.
These damn birds had pebble dashed my previous car and now they had got some of their bigger friends to dump even more on my new car! As I could not catch the flying shitters, I let out my anger with some choice words and then rushed to get something to wash the crap off.
Making Choices whilst angry
I had a family event later that day and this was the first time I would be showcasing the car – no way I was going to pull up with bird shit on the front! The rage I felt blinded me with one thought, to remove all memory of the samples left on the car. A few minutes later, the mess was washed away. However, there were a few stubborn stains that were not coming off.
The sponge I used was one that was yellow and soft on one side and green with a little more abrasion on the other. Still angry and only thinking of removing the shit, I used the green side on each of the glued stains – with a little EXTRA elbow grease – they all came off.
I won! The shit had come off, and bonus, the process left me feeling more manly having solved a problem with my hands. I went inside happy in the knowledge that all was good for the family showcase later that day.
Motivating anger
A few hours later, I went out to start my pride and joy. The happy mood was short lived though and vanished completely as I got closer to the car. There was now scratch marks on the bonnet! I knew exactly what had happened…some moron, filled with jealous nastiness over my nice new car had come and scratched my baby up.
Note: Obviously you know what actually transpired but as I said, I did not have the benefit of perspective and had the anger blinkers on. I cannot tell you how quick the speed of light feels but I think I came close to achieving it in how fast I went from mellow yellow to red rage!
What could I do…I wanted to make them pay. First the flying rats and now one of my neighbours had the gaul to climb the fence and scratch up my car in exactly the same space. Well, I could not catch the birds but I was going to be a monkey’s uncle if I did not get the prats who did this.
Mum: “Where are you going? We’re going to be late!”
Me: “I have to check the cameras and see who did this to my car!”
Mum: “But the cameras don’t work, you never updated the app!”
She was right, the CCTV had been off for weeks and was with me to update. I had never had the time. However, fuelled with anger I was able to muster the motivation to sit patiently through:
a) Resetting the password as I had forgot the old one
b) Updating the software on the CCTV machine without which I could not update the app
c) Rebooting the WIFI network as the update crashed 3 times
d) Updating the CCTV app
e) Resetting the password again as I had already forgot it
f) Reacquainting myself with using the app to rewind the recordings
Funny, I never had time when asked to get the system working, but, with veins pulsating with anger, I was able to plough through 40minutes of tech support! Never discount how motivating anger can be!
From anger to sheepish in a spilt second
Finally with the app working, all I had to do was find the jealous bandits in action. I roughly knew the time between when I left the car and when I saw the scratches. I went to that time window, with no sign of them - it must have happened before…
30 minutes after I left the car, still nothing - it must have happened before...
15 minutes after I left the car, still nothing – it must have happened before...
10 minutes after I left the car, still nothing – it must have happened before…
Jeez, these assholes were brave – not even leaving 10 minutes after I was there!
Still nothing at 5 minutes after…had these guys just waited for me to literally walk away?! I rewound the recording, eager to capture their faces and send it to the cops. Oh, this was going to be good, vengeance would be mine, a few more seconds and….oh no, oh dear no!
I had got to the point that I was washing the car and there had been nothing else on screen. That could only mean…oh pants…I zoomed in on me furiously cleaning. It was then that I realised I was scoring my own car with a brillo pad – and with some gusto! Blinded by anger at the birds I had inadvertently left leave of my senses and marked my own car!
Call me a monkey’s uncle!
Suffice to say that I was a lot calmer when I realised it was me to blame and miracously was a lot more forgiving of the scratching culprit.
Lessons:
1) Beware of shallow pride, everything shiny and new will one day get old – sometimes at your own hands!
2) Making decisions in anger will usually not be fruitful
3) Anger can be very motivating, think about that the next time you cross someone
4) Do not use abrasive kitchen stuff to clean your car!