A Super Mix of Super Heroes

He considered his answer as he finished putting together the salad. Then flipped the burgers. Everything was coming along beautifully for lunch!

"I suppose you have a point there," Paul said slowly. "I guess I look at it as... Well, if someone extends rudeness to you, and you respond with rudeness, well, then they fill fully justified in being even ruder, and then you feel justified in being even more rude, and the whole thing escalates until you have bombs flying and both parties feel completely in their rights and justified for being terrible." He gave her a quick smile. "But if someone is rude to you, and you respond with patience and kindness even if they don't deserve it, it helps to defuse the bombs. Some people are going to be rude, nasty people no matter what, but you can choose not to let them drive you into being just as bad or worse than them. You don't have to let other people dictate your life unless you chose to let them get under your skin."

He turned and took the buns out of the refrigerator and put them on a small pan to join the spinach puffs in the oven. That would heat them much more evenly than a microwave. Then he started setting the table, putting the salad out, then getting the condiments from the fridge. "What would you like on your burger?"
 
Asha hummed as she mulled over Paul’s words. She understood where he was coming from. Lighting a fire to stop another fire would only burn things more. But doing nothing also did not stop the fire.

“Mustard, lettuce, avocado, cheese, and jalapeños,” Asha stated for Paul’s question. She was sure of that answer. “I prefer fresh jalapeños if you have them,” Asha added quickly. She hated soggy pickled jalapeños. It made her squirm the way their spice lightened her fire, but their sopping juice doused it just a bit.

“And with your rude client, how will their rudeness stop if you let them continue their ways? If your client is incessantly rude, demanding of your time, do you not owe it to your more devoted clients to stop the behavior, and focus on the devoted ones? I understand not letting them control you, but it is not fair to others that someone else’s demands take away something they could have benefitted from.” Asha frowned as the image of her old frowning co-workers came to mind.

None of them jeered or taunted her like her family did when she was kicked out. But her old coworkers were the ones in jeopardy as her family’s business prospered. Why was it that people who manipulate and cheat others win, while the ones who work and suffer still lose?

Do we stop the bad people, or are we the bad people? Lalita’s question rang in her ears. Asha hated that she still didn’t have an answer.
 
"Jarred jalapeños are barely suitable for use," Paul said with a curve of his lip. He got out the requested toppings and made quick work of the chopping and seeding. It was an interesting combination, but certainly not the strangest combination he'd ever heard. He was happy with a bit of lettuce and tomato on his own with only the barest of dressing to add moisture to the bread. His burgers were far more flavorful with assorted spices to bring out the natural savoriness of the beef. To many toppings drowned out the meat and turned it into just a vehicle to get a salad into your mouth.

"Well," he said, continuing their discussion, "some people will always be rude no matter what, but some people are only having a bad day and just vent their frustrations in a bad way. Other people don't even realize they are being rude because they are so used to having people be rude back to them. If everyone else is rude, why can't they be rude, you see? So then if you respond not with more rudeness, but gentleness, then they have something new to compare themselves to. I find a lot of people are actually relieved to stop acting terrible. It's exhausting to always be angry."

He gave a little shrug and started plating their dinner. One hamburger, a mound of salad, and, of course, the spinach puffs. They made for a beautiful, colorful dinner plate. He carried the two plates to the kitchen table as he continued talking.

"Of course, the ones who continue to be rude, sometimes you just have to cut them off and find ways to not deal with them, but sometimes it's better to keep working with them but refuse to let them use you. Like with my client. The last trainer was a female, and she was at least as tough as you, but after a month of working with him, I found her crying in the changing room before one of his sessions because she was so dreading working with him. So I took him on because while he's trying and difficult, I can deal with it, and others don't have to be hurt by him. He wanted my personal number so he could contact me, but I refused so the only way he can get ahold of me is through the gym. Boundaries. To many people think boundaries are bad, but reasonable boundaries are healthy. Plus, dealing with him makes me stronger. If I walked away, I'd stay the same, and if I tried to sabotage him or get even, I'd be hurting myself more than him."

He set the plates down and smiled. "Would you like water with dinner?"
 
“Yes, please.” Asha nodded. Then she chewed her lip, pushing the want to dig in so she could wait for Paul to join her. Ignoring the tantalizing smell of the spinach puffs, and their near presence, did prove to be a challenge, but they were going to eat together. She would ensure that. To distract herself, she focused on Paul’s response to their conversation.

“How is being honest rude?” Asha turned her head a bit. “If a man is on fire, I would hope despite whether that man was content with being on fire or not, someone would put the fire out. If someone is rude, whether it is because they had a bad day or not, or if it crosses your boundary or not, wrong is wrong. It should not go unpunished or unanswered.” Asha nodded as if to certify her own statement. Then she looked up to Paul, her gaze sharp.

“And for that reason, I highly doubt that if your coworker was truly like me, she would let someone such as your client push her to tears without proper consequences.”
 
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