No, I’m not talking about the Rice Krispies cartoon mascots. I’m talking about gum chewers who snap and pop their gum. There is something about the snapping of gum that really gets to me. Hmmm – here’s an opportunity to say it really peeves me. Quite frankly, I find it rude. Most people chew quietly when eating a meal, why would they snap their gum for everyone around to hear?
Years ago I worked with a woman who was always chewing gum. No problem there. I used to chew gum a lot back then too. What really bothered me was the incessant snapping. Even when she was asked to stop the snapping, it continued. She was told by more than one person that it was offensive and still it continued. We would try to be really nice and polite about asking her to not snap her gum in the office. She would just laugh and tell us that she had the right to chew gum. True enough. What she didn’t have the right to do was to offend the coworkers around her. And by the way, I sat in an office probably 20 feet from her cubicle and I could still hear it. A friend of mine sat across from her and I have no idea how they both survived the gum snapping day in and day out.
(Now I’m thinking about a few more things that peeved me in the office – but they’ll wait for other blog entries.)
On the train ride home a few days ago I heard the familiar sound of someone snapping gum. I shuddered. Yup, literally shuddered. I looked around to see if I could identify the offender. No, it wasn’t her. I don’t know the young man who was snapping away in oblivion. I did see another woman look in his direction several times and shake her head. Aha! I’m not the only one who can’t stand it. (But of course I knew that from the experience I had had at work so many years ago.)
So for all you gum chewers out there – go ahead and chew away, but do it quietly please!
Pauline's Pet Peeves & Ponderings 