Ramblings of the Ole Parson: Shifting the Blame 8.9.18

It all started in Eden when God said to Adam, “What hast thou done?”  Adam’s reply was, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, gave me, and I did eat.”  But Eve looked at the serpent and said, “The serpent beguiled me and I did eat.”  There was no one else to blame.

When our oldest son Bob was 5 years old and learning to ride his bicycle, he came wobbling down the street and ran into one of the neighbor girls, Kay.  Instead of saying, I’m sorry,”  he said to her, “Well, Kay, watch were you are standing.”

This story was told on my tongue-tied neighbor, Doc.  A man was stopped on the side of the road fixing a flat.  (This was the day you traveled with a jack and tire pump, tube patching and all the tools necessary.) When Doc came by he ran into the man’s car.  The man said, “Couldn’t you see me sitting here?”  To which Doc replied, “ And ‘tuddn’t you tee me a comin’?”

It was said in traffic court that the judge ask the defendant, “Was there anything the plaintiff could have done to prevent the accident?”  “She could have parked somewhere else.” was the reply.

It is more manly or womanly to take responsibility for one’s blunders than to look for a scapegoat.  “I’m sorry, it was my fault.  I hope you are not harmed.”  This will make them feel better and maybe you too.  Try it.

– Robert E . Thompson, Sr.