So pissed today..

I'm sure this has happened to you before. You are having a meal in a coffee shop/food court. A stranger sees that you have an empty seat at your table. Without checking if the seat is taken, he sits down. Some people might think aiya, it's ok lah. The place is crowded and the seat is available, just let him sit lor. Ok.. You might think I'm overreacting to this, but I feel extremely offended when this happens. It's utter rudeness. And it is usually the elders that I encounter.

Earlier this evening I was at a food court having a quick meal before heading for my lesson. An elder in her 60s came over to my table and sat across me. Immediately I was taken aback by her action. In my heart I was thinking hey auntie, where is your manners? Don't you think it's better to ask if the seat is taken before you sit down? However I did not speak my thoughts. I simply give her a look and continued with my food.

The auntie was ranting away but I couldn't hear what she was saying as I was listening to my iPod. Shortly after she took out a bottle from her bag and slammed it very hard on the table. I was stunned. Already I was not very happy having to sit with a rude stranger while having my meal, and then BUM! Never mind, I told myself. Maybe this auntie was pissed off by something else earlier and was venting her frustrations.

And then a second even louder BUUUUM!!! I looked up and realized who she was angry with. She was angry with me. All the while she was ranting at me. She was angry because I glared at her just now. I took off my ear piece and heard her say "See what see? See some more I dig out your eyes ah."

That's it. You were rude for not asking before sitting down, fine. You banged at the table so loudly when I was eating my noodles, fine. But digging out my eyes? You sure you wanna do that? So in a loud and angry tone, I retorted, "I was looking at you because you just sat down like that without the courtesy to ask if the seat was taken. I never say you can't sit. But at least ask mah. What if it was taken and you didn't know, you not paiseh meh?" And you wanna know how she reply? "I want to sit here cannot meh? Why must ask? I sit anywhere I like to sit. And you keep staring at me for what? Bully old people ah?" And all the while as she was talking she kept banging and banging the table with her bottle. Initially i wanted to move to another table to finish my food, but because she kept banging and banging the table, i was so pissed that I stomped off without finishing my food.

Hey all the old people out there. Don't think just because you eat salt more than we eat rice we must always give way to you ok? Too much salt gives you kidney problems you know? If you want us to respect you then in the first place earn it. It's not that I think we should not respect old people. I mean, how much respect will you give an elderly who digs the nose in public and anyhow spits? People might think aiya, come on, they are so old already don't be so particular with them lah. Oh, what if it's a teenager or even a child doing it? Then the same people will probably think aiyo the parent never teach hygiene/manners is it? Double standard right?

As the saying goes,"家有一老如有一宝", loosely translated as elders are treasures. Well, it depends on what kind of elders you are dealing with.