Early this morning I carried my dog (Sophie, a Shih Tzu, 12 pounds) across a three-way, perilous intersection in East Hampton. Sophie had had a late night, first playing with our friends’ gentle but giant Burmese Mountain dog (100 pounds plus) while our two families had dinner. Then Sophie stayed up well past her bedtime (and ours) as we and our friends watched the Succession finale. Their internet was out so we all came back to our place to watch.
Oh no that is simply horrible! I wouldn’t even try to analyze the motive behind making such a vapid and mean spirited comment. (I did breath a sigh of relief once I confirmed that Sophie was ok) Glad you encountered some normal kindness soon after on this beautiful day!
I am a big believer in two things, closely related. One is the decline of civilized behavior. It is all around us and much too apparent, as in the example you cited. (I am not a dog owner and might wonder the same thing, but would keep it to myself as I'd assume it serves you and your pup.) Other examples abound and are easily cited (and sighted) in the world of driving. Rude, unsafe driving is everywhere. My other belief is the opposite, of which your last paragraph is a reminder. Civil behavior is a matter of small things such as letting a pedestrian have the right of way, waiting *patiently* for a car to pull in/out of a driveway or parking space and waving to the car that allows you to do the same. There has, no doubt, been a significant decline in civility over my lifetime, but I can still hold on to it and offer it to others in the hopes that they learn or simply for its own sake.
I feel really badly that you had your morning ruined and I think that I feel as badly as I do because your story speaks to a much larger issue than jerk bikers. The world is full of jerks, some bikers, some not, some wealthy, some not. Worse, whoever they are and wherever they are from, we both tolerate and celebrate them. And because we do tolerate and celebrate them, their numbers and presence seems to have exponentially grown. There’s a sense of f-youness everywhere, from the vile performative anger that has infected so much of our politics, to the simple acts of every day living like speeding through a red light on your bike because it feels good.
I like a successfully unpacked moment like this. Well done. I’ve been known to comment about others ... but I’m mortified if I’ve done it within earshot. Your piece reminds me that I should be.
“Because of cyclists like you, Dude,” you didn’t say, refusing to dignify his question with an answer. Striking how the perpetrator (cyclist) didn’t see that he and his ilk were the reason you carry Sophie.
In a way, I’m glad the cyclists said that to you as it did provoke this post, which I really enjoyed reading. Equally, I can understand that it was slightly unsettling. After all it wasn’t any of their business, unless they had a dog and were wondering if there was some benefit to carrying it occasionally?
Let’s please have a cocktail with Simon soon, so he can share his thoughts on the cycling community in the Hamptons.
Oh no that is simply horrible! I wouldn’t even try to analyze the motive behind making such a vapid and mean spirited comment. (I did breath a sigh of relief once I confirmed that Sophie was ok) Glad you encountered some normal kindness soon after on this beautiful day!
I am a big believer in two things, closely related. One is the decline of civilized behavior. It is all around us and much too apparent, as in the example you cited. (I am not a dog owner and might wonder the same thing, but would keep it to myself as I'd assume it serves you and your pup.) Other examples abound and are easily cited (and sighted) in the world of driving. Rude, unsafe driving is everywhere. My other belief is the opposite, of which your last paragraph is a reminder. Civil behavior is a matter of small things such as letting a pedestrian have the right of way, waiting *patiently* for a car to pull in/out of a driveway or parking space and waving to the car that allows you to do the same. There has, no doubt, been a significant decline in civility over my lifetime, but I can still hold on to it and offer it to others in the hopes that they learn or simply for its own sake.
I feel really badly that you had your morning ruined and I think that I feel as badly as I do because your story speaks to a much larger issue than jerk bikers. The world is full of jerks, some bikers, some not, some wealthy, some not. Worse, whoever they are and wherever they are from, we both tolerate and celebrate them. And because we do tolerate and celebrate them, their numbers and presence seems to have exponentially grown. There’s a sense of f-youness everywhere, from the vile performative anger that has infected so much of our politics, to the simple acts of every day living like speeding through a red light on your bike because it feels good.
I like a successfully unpacked moment like this. Well done. I’ve been known to comment about others ... but I’m mortified if I’ve done it within earshot. Your piece reminds me that I should be.
“Because of cyclists like you, Dude,” you didn’t say, refusing to dignify his question with an answer. Striking how the perpetrator (cyclist) didn’t see that he and his ilk were the reason you carry Sophie.
In a way, I’m glad the cyclists said that to you as it did provoke this post, which I really enjoyed reading. Equally, I can understand that it was slightly unsettling. After all it wasn’t any of their business, unless they had a dog and were wondering if there was some benefit to carrying it occasionally?