Double Take

I tend to call people a 'double take' if I consider them attractive. It's kind of like when you like someone and your girlfriends ask you if you 'like, like' them. When I'm explaining a cute guy I'll say something along the lines of, "he was extremely attractive...like a double take!" Everyone who knows me understands where I'm coming from and the conversation continues as normal.

Lately I've been thinking about double takes a lot; however, it's been in a different perspective. I've realized that I do double takes everyday as I get to know people for the first time, or just know more about an old friend. Upon first encounter, or even just looking from afar, I judge how a person is and what I think of them. Rude, right? Well, it's something that can't be helped... and I'm pretty sure that you do it too; unintentional or not.

As I see the guy with his pants sagging to his knees, beanie, shades, and his earphones in and I still can hear the music; I automatically assume he's a punk and thinks he's too cool to associate with people. I roll my eyes and return to whatever I was doing before trying to figure out where the music was coming from. Before I can get into my work I hear the crash of books falling to the ground, and as I look up there's Mr. I'm-Too-Cool helping someone gather up their life of homework.

...there's my double take.

As I am walking across the street and the girl whizzes by in her car I'm sure her daddy bought, I instantly think she's a brat and doesn't care about another soul. When I get to my destination and I see the same car in the parking lot; I audibly sigh and trudge to work while she walks in. I just pray that I don't have to help her. As I walk out the door to help a customer I see her quickly open her car and throw her groceries in; however, she cups her hand to her mouth and yells if someone wants a ride. After a brief discussion of being too far away, Miss Fancy-Pants grabs a young couples groceries and puts them in her car.

...there it is again.

Now, am I writing about these double takes to prove that we need to keep an open mind for all people we encounter? Heavens no! Some people are downright creeps and we need to have some pre-judgment for our own safety. However.... however, we can't always judge a book from it's cover.

To refer to the old saying about books and judging; I've also realized that you can't judge the last book in a series by the first book. We people are in the habit of changing throughout our lives, and, sometimes, I think we get caught up in what 'used to be' instead of 'what is.' Is that right, or just, of us? It's a great question to ponder.