I Saw You Judging

To the gentleman man at the Sayre, Pa Walmart this evening.

I saw you.

First I saw you in the sporting goods section, boasting to all of your friends that “Not everyone is a real hunter! I’m sick of these fake guys around here. It’s pathetic.”

I shook my head as I walked away. I felt a bit sorry for you.

Why?

Because you seemed so judgmental of people that may not be a “real hunter.”

Because your life must be so mundane that you have nothing better to do, than to put down others for something so trivial.

Because you showed such disdain for someone that you don’t even know.

Not even twenty minutes later we were again exposed to your ignorance.

My family and I were at the end of the video game aisle. You were standing just across from us in the center of the main aisle.

I saw you

A very tall gentleman walked by.

He was dressed head to toe in camo, and had two other guys with him. They were talking a bit loudly, but no louder than everyone else in the store tonight.

Somehow I knew he was the person of whom you were talking about earlier.

I looked straight at you. At which time you made eye contact with me.

The smirk on your face and the shaking of your head said it all.

I normally shy away from eye contact, but I held your gaze.

I saw you attempt to speak to me, which is why I stopped looking you in the eye and instead shook my head. I had a pretty clear idea of what you wanted.

Your wife walked up to you and you loudly exclaimed, “Did you see those guys? Oh my God! People have no shame!”

At this point you probably heard me call you a “judgemental asshole.”

What did that man have to be ashamed of?

For shopping in Walmart, like YOU?

For wearing camo, like YOU?

For looking at stuff in the sporting goods section, like YOU?

For minding his own business and just going about his life? Unlike you.

Do you know who should be shamed?

YOU

For judging someone you don’t even know.

For trying to encourage others to join in on your pig headed ignorance.

For being what is wrong with our country.

Oh, and I saw you at the registers too.

When you were standing again with all of your friends, LOUDLY singing, I Touch Myself by the Divinyls.

And you know what?

The gentleman YOU were judging was right next to me in the checkout lane.

But guess what?

HE DIDN’T JUDGE YOU

He went about his life with his friends and made his purchases.

But I judge you. I normally wouldn't but since you feel it's okay then I wonder how being judged would make you feel.

Would you appreciate being called “a typical, middle aged, overweight, white guy that feels so badly about himself that he has to call out others to make himself feel better?”

I can’t imagine that deep down that would make you feel very good.

When I got into the car I asked my family if they saw you. They did.

My eleven year old son asked why you were being so mean to hunters.

I had to explain to him that just like the kids who bully him, adults do it too, which is where they learn it.

I had to explain to him that people in this world judge us without knowing us.

Now I’m not naive, I know you’ll never read this. My only hope is that someday, you are treated the way you behave.

Maybe then you’ll realize how nasty you are, and how people like you are the very people ruining this country.

Oh, and I hope you don’t have kids. We have enough bullies here.