The Other Line

 


Murphy's Law. "The other line always moves faster".

This is true, at least for me. Every time I get in line for something, the line slows or stops. And the line I'm NOT in moves faster. And, yes, if I change lines and stand in the faster moving line, it slows down or stops.

This is especially true when buying things at my grocery store or pharmacy. Or anyplace where I have to stand in a line to do something. Even a short line.

At the grocery store I finish my shopping (usually only a few items) and get in the Express Check Out Line and, viola, one of the people ahead of me has a problem and holds up the line. Same with my CVS pharmacy. Or fast food restaurant. Or carwash. Or bank. You name a line, if I'm in it it will likely slow down or stop moving. This has been happening to me since I was a young adult (many many years ago).

To make it more tolerable, when the line slowdown happens if there's a person(s) ahead of me, also the victim of the slowdown, I often quietly mention it to them. I say, "This always happens to me. Whatever line I'm in. The other line always moves faster. It's Murphy's Law. I'M the reason it happens." They usually laugh.

Why does this happen? Why does the other line always move faster? Why does this Murphy's Law all too often apply to whatever line I'm in? Why? Because I'm cursed. That is the only explanation I can come up with.