The Top .0001%? Or the Bottom?

Kate and I, having taken up a post in the corner of the Cosi on 13th St, spent the entirety of our meal non-verbally commenting on the various idiots populating the surrounding tables. The particular favorite (worst): a GIRL (and her nearly silent date), who 1) pulls out a water bottle as soon as she sits down, drinks from it, and loudly comments that it's rude but she doesn't care---excusable. I have been known to be guilty of worse restaurant faux pas [read: GIANT JAR OF SKIPPY in the Evanston Burger King]. Then, she 2) opens up her cell phone and continues NOT talking to her "date" in favor of idiot #784 on the other end---ok, more irritating, but still not entirely hateful. Finally, the last straw: she 3) reaches over to our table without so much as a "Hey, scuze my irritating arm irritatingly reaching into NOT my space" and swipes the parmesan shaker from under the pizza stand..... AND SHAKES 7/8 OF THE DAMN JAR ONTO HER FOOD. If you know me even remotely, you are aware of my blatant and unshakable disgust for cheese. This last criminal act sealed the deal. If I had rolled my eyes any harder I would have given myself a migraine.

... at which point, I speculated aloud to my Partner in Cry that we are probably among the Top .0001% in the world in terms of awareness/intelligence. Does that put us at the bottom .0001% in terms of tolerance? That's not even a question.

But what about in terms of potential happiness? This is a question for Jean-Paul Sartre.