"It's not a crime to offend others; in fact, it's pretty much a natural
consequence of having diverse cultures."
PZ Myers
The store checkout line appeared to be shorter than the others so I gracefully slid over. The woman in front of me had an adorable child in the cart who was more than simple entertainment; but, time seemed to pass more slowly. A well dressed woman got in line behind me anxiously looking at her watch. Then an elderly woman with a wooden cane joined our line.
People in the lane across from us seemed to be zipping through like speedsters. The three of us started muttering under our breaths to each other about the hold up in our line. One of the waiting women remarked how it wouldn't be so bad if we had something to do to make the time pass more quickly. I innocently remarked, "Oh, I offer waiting as a small sacrifice towards the safety of children." The two women gaped at me and immediately moved to a different line.
I meant no harm and certainly was not trying to push my silent activities upon others. It should be no surprise our world has such a cross section of cultures. Ideally, we should be able to share our differences and discover our similarities without judgment or offense.
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