Grow a pair, bro

So I had an encounter yesterday with a tool. LOL. This guy really set my teeth on edge and as I thought about it, I realized why. Here’s a basic synopsis: he’s a whiner. He acts like the whole world owes him a favor and he thinks he’s a lot better and a lot smarter than he actually is. He thinks he’s a 10 but he’s more like a 6. That sort of thing. He was in town yesterday and I was responsible for picking him up at the airport and then taking him back again. It was nothing but moaning, groaning, kvetching, and complaining. I only had to be around this guy for about 3 hours but I swear it felt like an eternity. One of my colleagues said, “I was only around him for 10 minutes and I wanted to punch his lights out!” Exactly. He acted like he was incapable of doing anything for himself. This is a grown-ass man who, presumably, makes a good living and yet he can’t seem to gather the wherewithal to purchase a $5 value meal at the damn airport. WTF. It was like he expected me to do a lot of handholding and mothering. That’s when I realized why I was so intensely irritated by him. It sent me back to a friendship I used to have that was similar. When you are an adult, be an adult. Do not expect someone else to be your mommy. This guy is nigh on 60 years old and yet was looking to me to mommy him. My friend was pushing 40 and wanted the same thing. It seemed like she had the notion of: “I don’t have to contribute anything or think for myself because Mama Sara will take care of everything. All I have to do is show up.” Oy. In fairness, I engendered that scenario for far too long because I never put my foot down and said, “Either be an adult or go fuck off.” By the time I was ready to utter those words, it was more like, “Don’t go away mad. Just go away.” That’s how I felt about Old Boy yesterday: sort your own shit out and be an adult. Reach down there, find your nutsack, and use it. I’ve traveled with company and I’ve traveled alone. In each scenario, I made shit work. That’s what you do as an adult. My colleague and I got stranded in KC last year. What did we do? We rented a car and drove home. WE MADE IT WORK BECAUSE WE ARE ADULTS. It was not pleasant and it was stressful but we made it home and everything was fine. I don’t understand the mentality of “I will not think for myself; I will stand around like helpless infant and wait for someone else to deal with this.” Granted, we all need help sometimes. No man is an island and I think there are times when we genuinely need each other. If I’m trying to assemble something and can’t, I call for help. If I’m trying to solve a problem and need advice, I call for help. Getting advice from those who are older and wiser is just plain smart. But this is not about advice or necessary help. This is about entitlement and a fundamental lack of maturity.