I have moments – and I don’t think I’m alone here – where I worry what people think.
You know, those moments where the room gets quiet and the feeling is that everyone is staring at you? Oops.
I think what’s worse is when you realize it later. That would be me – a little dense in the moment and sorry about it later. At least I don’t write whatever it was down.
Now, sometimes awkward or mad is funny – especially if it is preserved in history in the form of a note, like the website www.passiveaggressivenotes.com. (This is exponentially better when there are lots and lots of notes.) Didn’t get service at a restaurant? Leave a message on the counter in ketchup and underline it in mustard – or not.
Well, it’s funny when someone else does it. Many of the notes deal with “borrowers” who sneak off with the indignant owner’s food or drink. Some of them have replies, which of course are way funnier than the original note. The comeback collections are especially great, like the office with a communal printer, which has several notes with official instructions, but one “dreams” of the day they can find their pages at the printer. The comeback? “I dream of the day that a warrior robot race will rise up and enslave us to try and understand the emotion ‘love.’ It’s more of a nightmare really.” Robot warriors, there’s a topic for the water cooler.
There’s a “best of” list and a little easier browsing at www.flickr.com/photos/passiveaggressive. The blog has the back story, but the flicker page lets you sort into categories: vending machine notes, WiFi tags, unattended children will be served as sausage – you get the idea.
If you can’t get enough of bizarre things other people write then you can check out their grocery lists at www.milkeggsvodka.com. Hover over the typed-looking cover and you can flip through pages of abandoned lists with a running commentary in form of a story on the side. Personal favorite? “If you buy more rice I’ll punch you.” Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ve never put that one on a grocery list, but the website and book were inspired by a 1997 find in a St. Louis parking lot.
Notes like these convince me that I shouldn’t worry what people think of me. At least I didn’t leave any written evidence.
Amye Buckley is a staff writer for the Daily News, and writes a weekly column.
