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Personality profiles, while subjective at best, today provide for many a rationale for unusual patterns of behavior. Once typed, the profile is used to explain success or failure in everything from making money to making love.
It has been my experience that the type A - the driven, compulsive, often irascible, table pounding, toe tapping individual - exhibits the most passion and is therefore the most fun to observe and analyze.
Type A's, if they use seat belts at all, and most don't - never put them on until they are underway. One of anything - wives, potato chips, cigars, or martinis - is never enough.
Type A's are never late and totally unable to deal with anyone who is. They cannot stand in lines, be it at restaurants, theaters, airports, stadiums, cash registers, or public restrooms. A reservation not immediately honored is an act of war.
Fail to move up in an intersection - turn the directional signal on far enough in advance - drive under the speed limit - and the type A will literally blow you off the road.
Type A's don't debate - and rarely let reason influence their pre-determined position on anything. Type A's argue - pontificate- intimidate - harass - and overwhelm the opposition which often includes family and friends.
Type A's rarely develop ulcers or fall prey to the unexpected coronary. They drink too much, drive too fast, and look at all aspects of life as competition, with a clear winner and loser. While generating large doses of self inflicted stress, the Type A is so totally results driven that the joy of accomplishing the goal wipes out all traces of the wreckage created getting there.
While the Type A may be exhausted at the end of a closely fought game, a victory eliminates all the anguish associated with the missed shots or temporary self doubt experienced when the momentum favored his or her opponent.
Type A's often make great leaders who make great decisions. Just as often they make trainwrecks as they cannot ask for help, advice, counsel or directions. A type A will drive a thousand miles west when he wants to go east before admitting to anyone he is lost.
Type A's need to be forever busy. A vacation with a type A is a marathon. A sexual encounter is a contest. There are no friendly games of anything. They are not good losers.
Type A's tend, however, to be fiercely loyal and once committed to either cause or comrade will fight on to the end. Type A's make good providers. They have unreasonably high expectations for themselves and everyone around them. They understand failure but can't accept it.
Type A's are excessive. They both laugh and cry loudly. They feel strongly about everything. They rush to get everywhere and can’t wait for whatever it is to be over.
They wash the dinner dishes before the dessert arrives. They fume if guests are late, and are furious if they don't leave promptly.
It takes courage to love, let alone live with a Type A. I suspect that many of our heroes - sports - politics - business - the military - would fit in the category. Not the most likeable - but the most exciting. Not the easiest, but the most interesting.
I've often thought it would be great to completely relax. On second thought you are a long time dead.
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