JLC82

Bare with me all

Soooo... I get on the Metra train today heading downtown Chicago, on my way to work. 3 stops before I am ready to get off, the lady sitting next to me started fumbling around and grabbing her bags as if she was about to get up and needed me to move so that I could let her off. I hurriedly moved my bags and in doing so I spilled some of my coffee on her. I immediately appologized and told her I was sorry, even gave her some napkins. She immediately screamed to the top of her lungs... " You STUID B*TCH!" Look what you have done. I told her that I was very sorry and that it was an accident. She then said " You people are so f*cking IGNORANT!" I was kind of speechless when she said this. Mind you, I am a 31 year old African American woman and this is a 50 plus year old caucasion woman. We are in Chicago, one of the most segregated cities in the U.S. I repeated the end part to her because I was shocked as heck that she said it. I said " You people?". There was an older black woman behind me that started getting upset and asking the same question. People on the train started turning around and it looked like it was about to be a straight up riot. She then said " Yeah, you people.. Stupid MotherF*ckers, that spill coffee, YOU PEOPLE!". I just started to laugh because this was so funny to me. I know (it sounds weird). Not only am I getting cursed out on a transit system, that mind you coming from as far as I do to get downtown Chicago is $5.75 one way. I had a million and one things going on in my own life. My gas was shut off yesterday, Chicago just experienced its first snow and it's COLD outside (by gods grace I have a new job and just have to wait until pay-day to get it shut back on). Last week keeps popping in my mind and all the crazy curve balls that happened, not to mention the craving for a COLD HARD DRINK! As she is going off, she sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown (Wah-Wah-Wah). This is Chicago, I have been sitting on the el and had a homeless person **** on themselves and in turn, pissed on me. I have had coffee spilled on me, kids barf on me and even a mentally handi-capped guys used my scard one winter and blew his nose. I have never WENT OFF like that. I got up and was laughing like a maniac. Thinking to myself (thank God I am sober). I am very non-confrontational but with a little liquor I am an angry drunk. I just laughed and chuckled at this, while tons of people were staring at me. I got off the train and they have this bar in the Metra station. I glanced by and they 1.00 Mimosas. I kind of laughed at that too. I know it's nothing but the enemy trying to take the gift of sobriety away. Tricks of the trade that push me to the brink are, stress, feeling stupid,depression and loneliness. I am holding on guys. This is day 39! The longest ever and I know good things are going to come!!

Thanks,
Jasmin

Wildog007

Wow. Good job holding on and keeping a sense of humour. Sometimes all you can do is laugh at the silliness of this world. Lol

22NGONE

You people.... that is funny... good job staying Sober and taking it in stride... no point in getting resentful over people who clearly should be working a program of their own. Remember, holding onto resentments is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. Stay sober and enjoy your coffee!

Threshold

One of the gifts of sobriety is the ability to respect ourselves and others. Thank you for sharing an example of this. I wish we could make this post required reading, because Da*m...going into the "holiday" season we ALL need a brush up on dealing with others, and dealing with ourselves.

I grew up in Chicago. I used public transport too, and yup...that's where you rub up with reality.

Vent away! It helps all of us to hear a real time, real life story of making the right choice.

Congrats on your sober time! And I hope the new job works out, and you get your heat on soon. Hang in there and hang onto that sense of balance and humor.

JLC82

Thanks for the response guys!

I swear at times I get into the craziest situations with the craziest nuts (lol). I am truly glad I was able to laugh this off. Thank god for sobriety and patience. I am kind of thinking about it right now and I'm wondering what type of day she is having. The old me would have been thinking about this all day and allowing it to ruin my day. However, as I stated that was the old me. The new and improved sober me, knows to "Live and Let Live.".