Bad Day?

"Maybe he was just having a bad day," they said.

"And when do I ever get to have a bad day?" I reply.

"Suck it up" is such an integral part of my upbringing that I cannot understand it when someone goes on a date and uses a poor innocent as a punching bag.

There are some people out there who react exactly according to their current feeling, then when the emotion has passed, giggle and say "Oops, sorry." In my view "sorry" isn't valid as a constant cop-out. 

It's like batul b'shishim. If you didn't realize that you used a milchig spoon in beef stock, no worries, it's less than 1/60th of what's being cooked. But one cannot willfully use a milchig spoon in beef stock. It's only if one made an unaware error, that which doesn't happen too often.

We are, of course, human, and prone to mortal frailties. We all stumble. But from time to time, with a little awareness, we can leap over those barriers.

And when you are on a date, buddy, I want to see that "Shabbos Face." No, not my painted Shabbos Face. The other equivalent for "Shabbos Face" is the "Sucking It Up Face." That one has to pull it together. 

After all, dates are, for the most part, considered to be a relatively pleasant outing, in comparison to other aggravations that grace this planet. 

If he can't Suck It Up for a date, will he be able to Suck It Up when the baby keeps him up all night? When his boss lays into him? When dinner isn't ready?

How many of us have the luxury of indulging in a "bad day"? 

Ergo . . .