Apr 13, 2011

15 Today’s Observation

binoculars Nice Weather: The weather was so balmy today that most people relinquished their winter jackets for spring jackets, wind breakers, sweaters, shorts and tights and sandals with socks.

Pooh: On my way to work a woman got into the bus with her child in the stroller and the top of the stroller was full of pigeon shit

Provocation: Two Caucasian male city workers in their early to mid 40s glad in neon green and orange tops stood by the door of the train chatting. One slammed his bad down on the ground in front of him and it landed with an angry thud. I thought to myself, ‘hmmm, somebody is having a bad start to the day.’ The train stopped and the two men motioned to leave, one exited without incident however the other one who had slammed his bag down on the train floor refuse to move aside to let a woman pass to enter the train. He physically chucked his body near hers and wouldn’t move aside. She looked up and he said to her, “wait till people come out.” She attempted to move aside but he again moved his body closer bouncing on her saying, “let people get out.” The train door measures about four and a half people wide if they were standing side by side, realistically he could have easily move, much like other people did around the other passengers boarding but he was spoiling for a fight and wanted to prove a point. Again he motioned with his body. The short full figured woman of African decent with short cropped hair and a side bang with white highlights looked up at the man and said in a Caribbean accent, “Look how much F-U-C-K-I-N-G room yuh have A-S-S-H-O-L-E.” The man quickly moved around her and proceeded quickly toward the other man, he never looked back. Some of the other passengers was irritated by the man’s behavior and one man said, “what is wrong with him.”

Hairy Situation: A Caucasian woman sat combing her long blonde hair in the train, when she was finished she removed the chunk of hair from her comb and threw it on the train floor and then kicked it as far away from her as possible as if it’s some random chunk of hair on the train. She fixed a beret in half her hair and sat quietly for the rest of her journey. People who boarded the train and sat in the same area was moving the hair with their feet away from them.

Angelic smiles: Walking the half a block to work this morning I saw a woman with twin girls in a double stroller (side by side) they were lounge back in their seats, feet crossed at the ankles, sunglasses and matching smiles-it was a wonderful sight.

Fishy Funk: I took a detour from work to purchase two SD cards, once I accomplished my task I waited for the Spadina streetcar going to Spadina Subway. The first one was full so I waited for the other however that one two was full so I decided to board as I had no desire to wait any longer. Packed to capacity there was little room. I managed to fit myself near the back of the driver. I turned my head to adjust my head and was side slapped with a fishy funky smell, it was the man standing beside me, as if that was bad enough he was eating and making loud smacking sounds like hogs on a farm. Normally this would drive me mad to distraction but the stink of the fish won out and I had to keep my head to the right and buried in my bosom.

Blinding stench: As I sat down on the bus on the last leg of my journey home a stench so vile assaulted my nose so violently that it immediately ejected me from my seat throwing me off balance in a disoriented haze. I could barely catch my breath and attempted to breathe through my mouth but that was far worst than through the nose. Eventually the man vacated the bus although the residue of his fowl dour suffuse the seat he occupied and seem to stick to the inside walls of the bus and refusing to leave as he did. I saw people unknowingly sitting on the seat vacated by the fowl smelling person and wondered how many times I must have unknowingly done the same thing.

This quickly made me realize that certain practices I have are a really good idea:

  • Washing my hands as soon as I get in the house
  • Taking off my outside clothes and changing into house clothes before i sit down
  • Never sitting on my bed with the clothes I come outside with

Mindfulness:

  • I was mindful of my thoughts (checked myself) of the individual who carried the offensive odor and gently persuaded the woman sitting next to me from saying negative things by pointing out that a person’s temporary unfortunate condition does not exempt the rest of the world from showing them respect as a human beings.

  • You know, it is so easy to pass judgment most of which we have no idea. We assume things (assumption is not fact) much like window shopping we assume the outfit in the window would look good just because we like it--that is until we try it on.

What am I saying?

Well in a nutshell until you have walked a mile in someone else's shoes, it is wise to keep ones opinion, judgments and not so nice commentary to oneself.

15 comments:

  1. I agree sisJUDGE AND YE SHALL BE JUDGED

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  2. Good post and good reminder!

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  3. Yeah you are right… thanks 4 sharing Blessings to you to your family

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  4. Girl, the certain practices that you have, are the exact ones that I have also! Especially the one about not sitting on the bed with "outside clothes". I don’t play that one at all!Pigeon shit – ewwww! Well I know how much you resent those birds.Hope all is well – have a great weekend!FINALLY, welcome SPRING – good riddance ol’ man winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enough already.

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  5. AMEN !!! Love U YOYO

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  6. I love to observe people too. You have the perfect opportunity riding on a bus. Some of the things you see happening are really gross, some of them are funny, and all of them are though provoking.
    Good job Fab!

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  7. So glad you having a wonderful the spring weather.
    In here we having a rainy day for the lasst three days.
    Well I need to except for that:-)
    I don't like that Hairy situation what a selfish
    woman she was?
    Your idea: I would gargle your throat with salt
    water:-)
    Enjoy your day.

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  8. Great post enjoyed this post love your observation of people. A good reminder Rhadsody thank you best wishes Sheila.

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  9. You are so good at observing & giving account! I felt i was there as you talked..the man sure got off the wrong side of the bed that morning! ewwwww! couldn't she had cleaned the pigeon poo & the gal place the hair inside her bag to be disposed off later.

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  10. lol at the woman that threw her hair on the floor. I once heard someone say that it is wrong to throw ur hair on the floor cos people could use it for witchcraft lol

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  11. LOL at this gist!! I like your conclusion. You're right on point. Although sometimes it's so easy to pass judgment we should catch ourselves and know we don't know the full picture

    Adiya
    http://thecornershopng.blogspot.com

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  12. Holy moly, that was a lot of observations in a day. But certainly good ones. I am very much like you, my home is my sanctuary and when I step in and close the door... I prefer to leave the outside world behind me, germs and all. I need to shower, change... etc., then I am comfortable. I admit it. I’m a little bit of a germaphobe. It gets worse the older I get. I can’t even imagine how fanatical I’ll be when I’m eighty. I’ll probably carry around a satchel with my own silverware, plates and cups.

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  13. Every single individual sees the world through different eyes, and to judge someone is to assume the way you see the world is the right way, and that's just ignorant to both yourself and everyone around you. It also keeps you from learning as you progress through life. I totally agree with your statement "You know, it is so easy to pass judgment most of which we have no idea. We assume things (assumption is not fact)..."
    This was indeed a wonderful entry.

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  14. I have to say, I've discovered over the past few years that I've become more and more sensitive around strong smells/odors. I usually start to sneeze and have to leave the area but I try and not be rude about it, simply excuse myself. - perfume - cleaning products - air fresheners - chemicals
    - unidentified smells in buildings and - body odor. Uuugh. Funny thing is, smoke doesn't bother me. The nose knows I guess!

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