self-aware

i am guilty of not being self-aware. and today i received a reminder of how ugly those who are unaware can be. while waiting in line at the post office to purchase postage for a package, i became increasingly uncomfortable with a man in line talking really loud. everyone who knows me knows i have volume control issues. i suspect this man may have been hard of hearing because his volume was booming. i tried really hard not to listen in on his conversation to a young woman in line about every possible topic, but then it became clear that the woman was not engaging this man. he was not self-aware and had total diarrhea of the mouth. at one point the woman he was talking to was being helped by a postal agent as was the man and he blurted out how if the man she is with isn't treating her like his favorite toy than he doesn't deserve her. i believe he intended well but to compare any woman to a toy is kind of offensive to say the least comical. a few women huffed and puffed at his comment. i didn't find it as offensive because i felt bad for him. he continued to publicly air his dirty laundry at as if he was a bird singing the joys of spring. as my turn at the counter approached, i found myself extremely self-aware and practically whispered my needs to the postal agent. i left the post office more self aware than i have ever been before. i think i will be making a more conscience effort to regulate my volume as i now understand how uncomfortable it can be for others.