When Stupidity Smiles at You

April 7, 2008 by Keli.

Stupers (short once more, for revealingly stupid persons) are completely unfazed about their blunders. Most likely because a blunder to them is simply a way of life.

Husband (H) and I entered an open house one afternoon as we were interested in a
possible purchase. Actually, H had already visited the home half an hour
earlier and spoken to the listing agent at the house in great detail about a possible
purchase of the home. He told the agent that he’d be back with his wife. So he
brought me.

I liked the house also, and now we both asked the perpetually smiling real estate agent some more questions (incessant smiling is sometimes a viable clue pointing to stupidity, but not reliably so, as many people smile out of sheer joy, not stupidity).

We left and returned a bit later with our kids. All of us liked the home.

After each of the three visits, the agent, a tall, personable fellow, in his early forties,
asked us whether we liked the home and, after each time, he was always glad to see us
back. Our interest in the house was unquestionable. Our experience was pleasant. H and I both thought we’d make an offer immediately.

After the third visit, we lingered and asked very specific questions, namely,

“Will the seller be available so that we may make an offer tonight?”

Suddenly, this affable agent said, blank smile intact, “I did tell you that the house is in escrow, right?”

Neither H nor I responded.

“Yeah, an offer was accepted last week, but I thought I’d hold it open anyway.”

Later I asked myself, (I thought I was an astute judge of character), how I didn’t see through the vacant Jack-in-the-Box type grin and the ever present giddiness.

Should we have:

A. Taken him to the nearest public square and arranged for a flogging;
B. Thanked him for holding the open house and left;
C. Asked him to donate his brain to science so that perhaps it could be studied for chemical imbalances that led to his sheer stupidity; or
D. Had one of us hold him down, while the other pummeled some sense into him.

In this case, I had to hold H back as he was a bit irritated over the waste of time and
energy. He asked the agent why he hadn’t “thought” (key word here) of revealing this
vital piece of information a little earlier. Fortunately for the agent, I, at this time, was
reading a book on utilizing Buddhist principles in everyday life and on cultivating
spiritual values like kindness, patience, understanding and compassion towards all without exception including, but not limited to, the idiots-at-large, so I stopped H from being fully expressive.

In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t. The realtor’s lackluster faculties needed to be blasted. The agent’s only reaction had been to shrug wordlessly, turn back into the house and lead other unsuspecting potential buyers on through the spacious rooms all the while holding his long forgotten “No Vacancy” sign behind his back.

It’s no wonder so many professionals dislike their jobs or are stressed out from their work. They’re operating at half speed. The professionals who do excel are thinking individuals who are aware and satisfied that they are doing their best and are intelligent enough to seek out work that they enjoy.

Great minds like to think.

Keli

Keli@Counterfeithumans.com

Posted in Professional Stupidity | 9 Comments »