So The Sign Said....

Okay, it has been a little while since I posted. Actually it has been weeks. However, since I am not even sure anyone reads these posts, it is not a big deal. I anyone actually does read them, it would be nice to hear from you so I can know whether to continue posting or not. ANYWAY......

It struck me the other day how powerful our words are. Specifically our written or typed words. The potential for misunderstanding is great. Let me give you the example that got me thinking about this.

I was recently in a gas station early in the morning getting my cup of coffee. If you are like me, you desperately need that cup of liquid energy. Now I know I am assuming a lot there. Actually I am sure there is no one like me. Probably no one that wants to be like me. Even the ones who drink coffee don't want to be like me! Whoa, did I just get distracted. ANYWAY....

So in the process of getting my coffee, and stirring in my sugar and half-n-half I noticed a sign on the front of the coffee bean grinder. Now, this was not a professional sign. It was obviously one of those signs that was printed on the office computer, and done in a hurry. While looking at the sign it became obvious to me that this store had a problem. Even though I had only been in this store once or twice before, I knew what had been happening. From time to time some well meaning, or perhaps impatient customer, had noticed that the coffee was a little stale. Maybe it wasn't stale. Maybe it was just not there. Now there is nothing worse then stopping in at a gas station for a little pick-me-up, only to find out that the coffee is stale or that someone in front of you has just poured the last bit of that precious liquid into their cup and headed for the register. If that happens you are left with only two alternatives, as I see it. You can either tackle that person and take there coffee or you can try to get the employee behind the counter to make some fresh coffee. Now, since you are far too dignified to tackle the old lady who just took the last cup of coffee, and since you know how long you are going to have to wait before you can get that person behind the register to make some more coffee ( especially since that little old lady with the last cup is now fumbling in her purse for the nickle she knows she has there but can't seem to find, but doesn't want to use that ten bucks in her hand because she hates to carry all that change!!!) you decide to use that nifty bean grinder there on the counter and do everyone a favor and brew your own coffee.

Now all of this take only a few minutes to accomplish, even though it just took me ten minutes to type it. The problem arises from the fact that the manager of that gas station doesn't like people pushing the buttons on his bean grinder and brewing their own coffee. After all, this is a convenience store, and everyone knows it is inconvenient to brew your own coffee!!!! ANYWAY......

So that is what had been happening I am sure. Now, back to that sign. Someone, probably the manager, who, thought you are not supposed to judge people by their appearances, probably has a better grasp of Arabic than English, goes to his computer and hastily types a sign telling people to keep their hands off his coffee bean grinder. All of that just to tell you what the sign said. (But hey, if I didn't fill in all those good details, this post wouldn't be this long, and you might feel like you had wasted your time stopping by.)

The sign said, "DO NOT TOUCH ONLY EMPLOYEES" . That is it. There were no commas or for that matter any punctuation at all. Now as I was looking at that sign I knew what it meant. However, knowing what it meant and know what it said were two different things. Was it saying that if I were to start touching people that I had to include everyone? In the first place, why would I want to start touching the employees at all, unless they didn't get over there and make me some fresh coffee? And how would all those people respond to being touched by me anyway?

Of course I know that is not what the sign meant. I know that it meant that only employees were allowed to used the coffee grinder. I could not, however, pass by the fact that it is so easy to be misunderstood. Simply leave out a comma, or misplace one of your modifiers and boy can you be in trouble!

Now the simple truth is, that whoever typed that sign was assuming that whoever read it would understand what they meant, and overlook any error in grammar. (Much like the author of this post is doing!) I left that store that day thinking about something that I wrote this entire post to tell you. Here it is. Ready? Okay, here goes. Why can't we treat our everyday acquaintances with the same courtesy. Often times we get into arguments over obvious mistakes in communication. Someone doesn't say it the right way. Someone doesn't put the punctuation in the right place. In most cases, you know what they meant. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Even if they say something to you, or you hear of something they said about you, why not just give them the benefit of assuming they meant to say something else.

Often times we get all bent out of shape over a statement relayed to us by a third party. I've done it, and probably so have you. If I can look past the error in the sign at that gas station and know the intent, even without knowing the one who wrote it, then why can't you give your friend or loved one, or co-worker the same benefit of the doubt. You've probably heard the old phrase, "I say what I mean and I mean what I say." Well let me tell you a knew one. "People don't always say things the way they mean them, and they don't mean to say half the things they do say." I know its not as catchy, but its true. Show a little mercy. You may have them on a technicality, but lets be bigger than that. I for one, would appreciate it, and I know you would to.