WTF Wednesdays- At others expense

I would consider myself a very nice person, sometimes to a fault considering how some people walk all over me. Though this is how I would like to be all the time I also admit that I can sometimes be an ass to people and not really notice. I spend much of my time by myself so much of my more undesirable commentary generally goes unnoticed but occassionally I am actually around people when a joke goes particularly bad. Even more rare is that I have someone near that might call me on my shit....which happend just yesturday on a beautiful hike through the boulder woods.

There were three of us hiking together and having a wonderful time doing very stereotypically Boulder activities when an older gentleman came jogging from behind us. The man, who had to be pushing 65 years of age, was very polite and said excuse me as he passed so of course I proceeded to make fun of the way he was running in a cartoony motion. No normally this behaivor would go unchecked and I would go on being a smug jerk, but not today. As I turned with a big self appreciating smile on my face I realized my hiking partners did not share the same glee I got out of unjustly poking fun at a complete stranger. I mentioned how humorous my joke must have been, to which one friend looked me dead in the eyes and replied "Actually I thought it was quite rude".

I was quite shocked, not because of what was said, but because I knew instantly that I was in fact being incredibly rude. I became suddenly embaressed and was at a complete loss for words, I wanted to apologize but to whom should I do it? To the gentleman who was the butt of my joke or to my friends who had to witness it?

Even though the jogger could not hear or see my off color joke, he was still a person and no person deserves to be treated that way, I know this better than some, yet I still find myself doing it to others. It was a very refreshing experience to be around someone who is so honest and straight forward that they will tell you how it is without hesitation, I appreciated it.

I quote George Carlin from "Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure" when he says "Be Excellent to eachother".

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