T Play Box VIII
The last T Play Box session ended a month ago, on October 28th. Now that I have had my dose of, well, something, I feel like playing.
One of the things that get to me the most, and just make me tick, is when someone walking ahead of me suddenly brakes. For that reason I would like all pedestrians to install rear lights, and to use them as often as possible. This kind of an “incident” happens so frequently when I am minding my own walking business at the university campus.
Most of the time it is a veiled girl, or a group of them, casually chatting and then they stop. It is also noteworthy that they like to halt their progress near, or at, stairs and/or very narrow routes. Why this happens so often, and in such a seemingly organized fashion, I have no clue. All I know is that it usually ruins my mood because I cannot understand it.
There was this morning some eight months ago when I opened my eyes with such a lovely mood. I promised myself that no matter what happens that day at university, I would not let it taint this perfect state of mind and spirit that I was in. I went to my classes, saw my buddies, had my junk food “food”, and then it happened.
I was walking, a very simple action, you know. I started from point A, and in my mind I was set to reach point B. I opened the transparent doors that so often push me backwards because, you see, I am not exactly a bodybuilder, and I trod on asphalt roads and my clothes got caught in the untrimmed bushes in ceramic pots here and there, and all was a generally pleasant experience.
Then an obstacle named “stairs” came my way and I was determined to overcome it, and there they were. Three, bigger, girls clustered around the mouth of the stairs in such a way that nobody could pass. They were talking, “Did you see how he…?” and I was quite uninterested in their conversation. I wanted to get to point B. I stopped by them for a minute, trying to emit as many mental messages as possible to inform them of my desire to walk by them and cease this forced eavesdropping. My mental station was not functional that morning, or so it seemed.
Body to the rescue! I resorted to my body language and I sort of kept moving in my place to show them that they are preventing me from reaching point B. That came short of success as well. So I figured I should use my tongue, right then and there, and I really dislike using my tongue on strangers. Most often such occasions don’t end nicely, and I could feel a bit bad afterwards.
Then I discovered that if I said something “not nice” to them, I would break the promise I made to myself earlier on in the day. “No matter what”, remember? This was one of the toughest mornings, eight months ago, when I was in a lovely mood. I lashed the girls with my tongue and in my head I hurt them even more, they answered back but hey, that’s life. Keep away from the stairs or risk my wrath.
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November 29th, 2005 at 12:01 am
I don’t see how would their congregation by the stairwell bother you! Can’t you simply say : Excuse me! Can I get through, I’m trying to go downstairs, I beg your pardon, can you make a room for this creature to pass through? Can you make enough room for me? Can you step a side! Break it up please. I’m in a hurry! I really I need to get by you guys. Watch out so you don’t get hit with my back pack ouch, watch out so you don’t get hit with my umbrella! Pretend that you are crawling and want to sneak between their legs. Use command language: Tell them Stairwell are for pedestrians you know! You might be better off conversing in a rest area instead of congregating here! Get out of my way folks! Use huffing and puffing techniques! make intimidating faces, make belittling faces. Increase your velocity as you approach the top of the stairs as if you are about to crash into them, and at the same time start yelling Watch out…. I mean there are many different ways to get them to move out of your way without you having to get your blood pressure going all the way up.
As far as the second problem [ people that stop suddenly without any warning] I like your idea of putting break lights on their posterior so you can see the light when they are ready to stop.
November 29th, 2005 at 7:36 am
that’s the nice thing about living in a place where almost nobody knows what i blabber. i face such situations and my reponse has been mostly to the effect “excuse me, 7arikli ti*ak lawo sama7t” or “excuse me, iqlib wijhak min hon”; almost always peopel would think i am just being nice.
November 29th, 2005 at 11:13 am
Hatem Abunimeh,
Positively what techniques you suggested can, and often are put to good use, to make people move out of the way. I am at loss what to say to you, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Do you really “not see how would their congregation by the stairwell bother” me?
Jameed,
You method is impressive. I did that a couple of times myself.
November 29th, 2005 at 11:19 am
a friend and i are working on something, a magical potion that makes you go invisible for a few seconds. id3eelna yezbot.
November 29th, 2005 at 11:27 am
Alchemy is it?, Sabri Hakim? Your remark left me wondering how many people want me to vanish into thin air, I thought of a group of names and the faces associated with them. Very entertaining.
November 29th, 2005 at 12:40 pm
Well, it’s annoying… “Excuse ME; with a yellow smile” if they are a group of boys… but if they are a group of girls “Ya Aaneseh; with a yellow smile”…
You know what; I’ve just noticed that I’m using deferent ways to ask for a path… lol
OK, I’ll talk seriously now; it depends on your EYES. Just walk in steady steps and fearless eyes; it makes other think that you are not going to change your track or even to speed down your steps… it works for ME at least-.
November 30th, 2005 at 9:44 am
Mind you, but this is a blunt dweller, that’s been on my mind since i read this entry:
Characterizing the bunch of girls who where and usually as it seems- occupying the staircase as being mostly “veiled” have -at face value- nothing to do with the fact that they are, unless there is some relation between wearing a veil and a bizarre passion to huddle around stairways at university campus!
November 30th, 2005 at 10:54 am
Basem, I understand the reason for your concern over my usage of the word “veiled”. As a matter of fact, I was waiting for such a comment, why it took so long to emerge remains a mystery.
Have no doubts that I do not wish to pass any judgments or to print any labels and stick them on people’s backs. When I said those girls were veiled, I desired to convey the true image of what I personally went through, and if truth be the sole goal then that is a solid 100% factual account.
The girls were veiled, denying that would be manipulating the event. I could not care less if they were naked, really, as long as they kept off my, and everyone else’s, way. Public manifestations of religion, or the lack of any such manifestations, and the reasons behind them, are not my interests in this entry. I was just playing.
I am veiled myself, therefore I am pained when I see what such behaviours reflect about “me”, to take things more personally. I do not think there is a tie between being veiled and clogging people’s paths near stairways.