23 May 2010, Posted by admin in Aba,Ashley,Headlines,Thoughts, No Comments. Tagged Aba, anecdotal, art, Ashley, deeper meaning, london, subtext
Sorry Seems To Be The Simplest Word
Image by Ashley
Words by Aba
When did the universal apology become an excuse for bad behaviour?
Woe is me. I have noticed a trend and I do not like it. London, we have a problem. As I make my way to work in the mornings, squeezing sardine-like into tube carriages, racing past other pedestrians also cursing their ‘snooze’ button, I am disgruntled but also aware of those around me. It is no newsflash that rush hour is a horrific, hectic rush to be at work/home as soon as possible. I have no problem with people overtaking me as I slow down to reach for my oyster. I get no blood lust as a commuter eyes up a free seat before I do. And I will form an orderly queue, albeit begrudgingly, when making my way over a packed pedestrian crossing or up the stairs from the platform. Why then, is aggression increasingly the order of the day for other pedestrians? A form of passive –aggression, of course, this is England after all. As I make my way down the pavement to my office in the morning, along with all the other poor suckers stuck in the City rat race, a Suit in a rush doesn’t just shove me out the way as he squeezes through the narrow gap between me and the person walking to my right. God, no – that would be rude! He says ‘sorry’ as he shoves me, and that makes it okay (I assume… for him!). The lady that barges me out the way as we, en masse, move forward when the little man on the street light changes from red to green, says sorry, too. So I guess it makes that fine. The guy that deliberately hustles in front of me at the oyster card gates (because that 5 second lead to the escalator makes all the difference) yeah, he says sorry too, as he shoves manners and decency (let alone chivalry) to one side, throwing out an insincere apology as recompense. Well, to abuse the word once more, I’m sorry – but this behaviour just isn’t acceptable. If you’re in so much of a rush you need to be that callous, just do it. But don’t apologise. For your sake and mine. And for sorry’s sake, too.
