A reply for Nathy
In a response to my last post, my dear Nathy asked me if I felt electricity in the air - a negative vibe in this case.
I thought I’d answer it by relating an anecdote from my morning:
My alarm goes off at 7:30 am. It usually takes me until 1pm to start functioning on a socially acceptable level. Not to say I’m not a morning person - I don’t mind mornings and there are even some days I love mornings - it just takes awhile to get the old brain in that ‘functioning member of society’ mode. Until then, I’m in Hollay’s World - a great mind-set, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
Annnnnnyway,
while walking to work, I’m also frantically looking through my bag to make sure I remembered to bring the notes I made the night before for an article I’m writing. Suffice it to say, I’m not really focused on my surroundings. More to the point, I’m not focused on the man I’m about to walk into.
It’s a harmless bump. We are both physically sound and aside from being surprised I’m fine. He, on the other hand, is less than fine.
“You know, in Canada we walk on the right side of the sidewalk”.
He scowls at me for a moment and then interprets my open-mouthed silence as a failure to understand English.
He takes me by the shoulders and moves me to the right.
“There” he says pointing to where I’m standing and speaking condescendingly slow “is where you should walk”.
I’ve finally shut my mouth, but am still staring at him in silence. Again, he mistakes my disbelief for non-comprehension.
He exhales heavily. ”Fucking immigrants”, he mutters. “Fucking ignorance”. He walks away.
Fucking ignorance is right.
I thought I’d answer it by relating an anecdote from my morning:
My alarm goes off at 7:30 am. It usually takes me until 1pm to start functioning on a socially acceptable level. Not to say I’m not a morning person - I don’t mind mornings and there are even some days I love mornings - it just takes awhile to get the old brain in that ‘functioning member of society’ mode. Until then, I’m in Hollay’s World - a great mind-set, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
Annnnnnyway,
while walking to work, I’m also frantically looking through my bag to make sure I remembered to bring the notes I made the night before for an article I’m writing. Suffice it to say, I’m not really focused on my surroundings. More to the point, I’m not focused on the man I’m about to walk into.
It’s a harmless bump. We are both physically sound and aside from being surprised I’m fine. He, on the other hand, is less than fine.
“You know, in Canada we walk on the right side of the sidewalk”.
He scowls at me for a moment and then interprets my open-mouthed silence as a failure to understand English.
He takes me by the shoulders and moves me to the right.
“There” he says pointing to where I’m standing and speaking condescendingly slow “is where you should walk”.
I’ve finally shut my mouth, but am still staring at him in silence. Again, he mistakes my disbelief for non-comprehension.
He exhales heavily. ”Fucking immigrants”, he mutters. “Fucking ignorance”. He walks away.
Fucking ignorance is right.