Why Is Everyone So Cranky?

Last night I saw a movie at the cinema, my first one there. I was excited to see what it looked like in there.

I went, sat, waited. The AC was broken in two of the three theatres. But it was not a hot evening. I am always ten degrees hotter than everyone around me, sweat like a pig. But I was fine.

For TWENTY MINUTES I had to hear everyone around me complain. Complain about the heat (they were mostly over sixty, with a few fifty-somethings complaining of hot flashes), complain about the seats being uncomfortable, complaining about the shape of the god damned theatre. When the girl came in to announce where the fire exits were, first someone screamed "LOUDER!! We can't HEAR you!" then, after she repeated herself and tried to exit, they all screamed "BUT WHAT ABOUT THE AC?!". She made a meek apology and they humphed in her general direction. Two nice old ladies who felt bad for her clapped awkwardly.

The folks working at that movie theatre are paid to be yelled at. People scream when they're told that credit cards are not accepted yet. It's a new cinema! People scream when they have to pay for the cups, which are on inventory and counted every night. They don't want the free cups, they're too small. They want the massive ones that cost a lot for the cinema to buy. People scream when the movie's too loud. When the movie's too quiet. When there are kids in the movie giggling. When they realize that their favorite flavor of minute maid juice is not offered. Never mind the fact that the cinema openly encourages people to bring whatever food they want.

What the hell is wrong with people? I'm sorry if you don't like the product, but no one is making you buy it. Unless a clerk makes an actual error there is no reason to get upset, let alone yell. Don't like company policy? Don't support the company. Do you really think the eighteen year old telling you how to exit in an emergency knows how to fix the fucking AC?

I do my best to be really, really nice to service people. Unless they are openly rude to me, I do not give them shit. I had a place at the mall fuck up my sandwich order four times in a row a few weeks ago. I waited half an hour for what ended up being not-even-quite-what-I-ordered. By the end it was clear I was agitated, I said "Don't worry about it. I don't care anymore" when the last one came out wrong, with vaguely hostile resignation in my voice. But I did not yell. I did not call them stupid. I did not scream about what a travesty their sorry excuse for a sandwich counter was. I did not call their attention to how undertrained and understaffed their business was. Because that is not their fault. I chose to give them my business when I had had a few little problems in the past, and I had the option to ask for my money back. I chose not to, but I have not gone back. Why scream?

Is it me or does it seem like people are looking for something to complain about? Especially old people. We have a delivery service at work for old people and the folks who run that department get yelled at at least ten times a day each. Over everything and nothing. Is this the highlight of these people's day? Is someone to complain to the only person they talk to all day? Is it really that bad if they got mashed potatoes on the side instead of potato slices? Seniors at the cinema pay FIVE DOLLARS to see first run feature films on a Saturday night and they go on and on about the seats being uncomfortable.

The only thing that makes me want to scream and complain is when people scream and complain. Civility and manners are not that much to ask for.