Not everyone I meet along the way is generous, helpful or concerned about the welfare of others. There are a lot of selfish people too - out for their own gain and often at the expense of others. I’m sitting in a Wi-Fi location, and can’t help but overhear the conversation of the two women next to me.

One is a 50-something brunette, loudly disparaging her son’s choice of a fiancee. The fiancee apparently is a talented musician with several CD’s to her name. She’s quiet, shy, an introvert, “mildly attractive” according the soon-to-be mother in-law. And if her son is happy, she sighs heavily, then she supposes she’ll have to accept her. But the girl is not the “trophy wife” she thinks her son should have. She has talked for 30 minutes now about how unsuitable this girl is in spite of the successes, talents and her son’s happiness. Her companion, an older woman, possibly HER mother, nods and listens and drinks her coffee - having given up trying to be encouraging 20 minutes ago.

It occurs to me that PETTY BRUNETTE is the miserable one - the one bitter about losing her son to another woman, the one unhappy with herself, the one who is truly the loser. I would feel sad for her, except for the fact I know she is spewing evil and darkness everywhere she goes. The ripples she leaves in her wake are shattered self-confidence, hesitancy, depression and pain in the people who encounter her self-imposed judgments on others based on her own emptiness.

I meet a lot of these people unfortunately. My stock response is to laugh and ask, “Who pissed in your Cheerios?” and if it goes on from there to confront them about what they’ve said and ask them how it really benefits them or anyone else? Most sulk off. Some get angry. Most don’t get it. The thing is, many of the homeless and those who struggle to succeed are held back because they believe the lies these people spew. The amount of potential is diminished each time a talented, excited youngster or adult stops when attacked or criticized by these losers.

It makes me angry. Petty people SUCK.