Where'd All The Good People Go?

After a long day of work last week, I wrote a blog post titled "The Most Annoying People in the Whole Freakin' World." I was cranky and I had been on one of my "I hate living in Mississippi with all of these stupid, ignorant people" streaks for a week or so. (Yes, I realize there are people like that everywhere. Now is not the time for you to mention that. They are worse here. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

I was at the very end of my Rope of Sanity. Where'd all the good people go? (Anyone else singing the Jack Johnson song? No? Just me?)

Anyway, I was on my way to JC yesterday to take my last online biology test that had to be proctored. It was at 1:00 and my dad had come home to watch the 4 kids that I'm a nanny for. I was thinking about how annoying people are and trying to drive through the ridiculous storm, when all of a sudden my car stopped. I was pressing the gas but my car was slowing down. I pulled over on the side of Highway 90 in Gautier while screaming every cuss word I could think of. I turned off my car and tried to restart it, but of course it wouldn't. I tried to call my dad and four more people after that, but of COURSE my phone wasn't working because of the bad weather. Between my intense fear of thunder/lightning and failing a class, I was pretty sure I was going to die so I figured I might as well melt down. Right in the middle of cussing out Mother Nature, a truck pulled over in front of me and a guy, who had to be in his early 20s maybe (and was CUTE), was coming to tap on my window. Oh GREAT, I thought, first my car breaks down and now I'm going to get robbed and murdered. Not quite, paranoid Alexa, not quite.

Nice Boy: "Hey.. uh, do you need help? I was stopped at the red light and you looked like you were freaking out.. are you okay?"
Me: "NO! I AM NOT OKAY! I have a test in 15 minutes and I'm going to be late and I don't even know where the stupid building on that campus is and my car broke down and I don't know what the hell is wrong with it and my phone won't work and it's thundering and lightning and I CAN'T MISS MY TEST!"

Poor kid. He was being so nice and I was freaking the freak out. He told me to pull the lever thingy to pop my hood, and of course I (once again) couldn't find that stupid thing. It's seriously hidden in the weirdest spot. We were getting drenched while he did guy stuff and checked my car. He said everything was fine and I probably just hit too much water. So of course when he tried to start my car it started right up. Because my car hates me and likes to make me look stupid. I told him thank you and that I would be fine, but he insisted on following me to JC. I tried to follow the stupid JC signs and look for the building I'm supposed to go to, but eventually I just parked in a random parking lot. Sure enough, Nice Boy gets out of his car and we walk around until some maintenance guys finally tell us where to go. I was positive Nice Boy was waiting for the perfect moment to kill me.

Me: "Thanks for your help, but you don't have to walk with me. I'll figure it out."
Nice Boy: "It's really no problem, I just want to make sure you get to the right place."
Me: "Um.. okay, are you going to kidnap me and kill me or something? Because I kinda really need to take my test first.."
Nice Boy: (laughing) "No, but I think your priorities are a little out of order there."

I asked him if he had somewhere to be, and he tried to lie and say no. He was the sweetest thing! He was dressed nice like he had been at work and I'm almost 100% positive he was only on his lunch break or something. He kept doing the guy thing where he avoids the question and keeps saying, "Don't worry about it, it's not big deal." Stupid boys. I felt so bad!

Finally, at 1:15 we walked into the quiet test center. We were completely soaked with water dripping from our clothes and oozing out of our shoes. I walked up to the lady with my ruined notes in my hand and nicely explained why I was late. Her response? "Too bad. You're late. You should have left earlier." Oh. No. She. Didn't. It wasn't like everyone was there to take the same test. It was people taking different tests for different online classes on computers that were being monitored. There were plenty of available computers left. I felt the last string of my sanity pop and I started yelling. Are you picturing this? A random girl, soaking wet, yelling at this stupid lady. I guess I scared her enough, because she went to get someone else after trying to tell me that she didn't believe me again. I heard her tell the man, "This girl claims that her car broke down and that it's raining really hard outside." Here goes crazy Alexa again. "Claims?! CLAIMS?! ARE YOU STUPID?! Do you not hear the storm happening outside?! I am soaking wet with this nice stranger who helped me get here just so I could take a stupid test! I AM NOT LEAVING UNTIL I TAKE MY FREAKIN TEST!!" Everyone was watching the crazy lady making a scene. Nice Boy made some nice comment and explained the situation in a nicer voice while I continued to give the stupid lady my best death glare. The man finally said, "I think we can make an exception with all of the bad weather going on." Uhh, YA THINK?

So Nice Boy saved the day, Stupid Lady didn't get her way, and I got to take my test. I told Nice Boy that I would give him half of my money if I ever win the lottery. He settled for a hug and my one million thank yous instead. I keep calling him Nice Boy because I somehow missed his name. I think it started with a J. He might have mumbled it on the side of the highway, but I was too busy worrying about my test. I'm sure he mumbled it though. Damn boys and their damn mumbling.

All ridiculousness and sarcasm aside, though, I really am so thankful for Nice Boy. There are a lot of ignorant, annoying, awful people in the world, but there are some really good ones too. I finally had just a little more faith in humanity, and then I woke up on Friday morning to the news about the Colorado shooting. I've always thought about what I would do if someone started shooting while I was at the movies, but I always thought it was just another one of my silly, irrational fears. I guess that's just the way life goes though, right? We can't let the bad ones make us forget about all of the good ones. We COULD make some better gun laws, but that's another rant for another time.

It's so cliche to say that life is short. That's probably my least favorite popular phrase. But it's so easy for us to forget that something like that can happen to anyone. We spend so much time focusing on work, college, who we're going to marry, and how successful we're going to be. I don't want to put important things on the back burner just so I can focus on things like that. Obviously going to college, getting a good job, and having my own family is important to me, but I don't want to miss out on enjoying the here and now either. My least favorite part of growing up is not getting to see my family enough, knowing that anything could happen to any of us one day. I'm always torn between wanting to go on my own adventures, but not wanting to miss out on anything at home either. I like being one of those weird families that's close and actually likes spending time with each other. I like that people think it's weird because I actually talk to my siblings quite frequently and not just when something bad has happened in the family. It's never a surprise to get a "just because" call from my aunt, or a "thinking of you" card from one of my cousins. I love that.

It's important to me that I eventually settle down as close to my parents and siblings as possible, wherever that may be. I want my kids to grow up the way I did. Having cousins who are also their friends, and having all of their family around them. Never having to wonder what they're missing out on or what it's like to grow up with a big, loving family that likes to hug each other a lot. Just in case that whatever is supposed to be on the other side of this life isn't there.

You know, it's a good thing my family likes me. Especially my parents, because I'll never stray too far from home. And especially JT and Zoe, because they are and will always be my favorite people. And because if my life plan doesn't work out, they play a big part in my back up plan. ;)

Basically, they'd be extra screwed if they didn't like me. 

I know they are all reading this because I come from a family of professional stalkers. My mom and I always say that we could probably work for the FBI. I love you all way too much, and that is the only explanation I have for all of my craziness.

I've been spending so much time wondering where all the good people have gone, when they've really just been right in front of me the whole time.

Hug your family, babies, and friends. And if you see a person freaking out on the side of the highway, stop and help them if you can. They probably aren't as psychotic as they look.

:)