Courtesy

Is That What We Are Lacking Of?
Are Singaporeans lacking of courtesy? Well... maybe... That's what I observed. Think even myself do not really have much basic courtesy.

The Incident Just Now
Haiz... Jasmine and I made Johanna burst to tears... because she thought we were making fun of her just now. Jasmine tried to console her... but... well, she just left the train in a puff when the train reach her destination. We just don't really know what we should do about it... Hmm... think maybe we made the comments too lightly that she got furious with us...

Anyway, the incident goes like this. While in the train back home with 2 of my classmates, Jasmine and Johanna, other than all the school work and teachers they usually discuss about, they also talk about how the people inside the train wouldn't move to the center compartment to give space for people to enter the train. Ok... sometime I might not do that... because I will be alighting at about 1 to 2 stations away. Other times the train are way too crowded to squeeze in. At a few occassions, I might not go inside because I was feeling lazy... Hmm... kind of guilty about that when people had to squeeze through me to get to the center...

Anyway, when we got into the train, we squeeze through the center of the compartment so that other people can come inside to the train. The 2 of them were talking about school life, when Johanna notice that there were a mother with 2 kids standing inside the train. She then notice that there were just a lot of able-bodied ignorant people who just didn't see that. She then start to talk to us about that. She also notice that there were also those people who sleep while sitting inside the train, and those people wouldn't just care about what's in the train. She then talk about that very loudly so that those people can here. Jasmine and I started to get embarassed about that, so we couldn't resist ourselves laughing. Jasmine wanted Johanna to stop what she's doing, but she just kept on. Jasmine thinks that no matter what, those people wouldn't care about the surroundings, and by doing that, we would only get stared by most of the people inside the train, which of course would make us even more embarrassed, but Johanna thinks that she should get the people to have the attention, so that they will feel guilty about what they did.

In the end, Johanna start to burst into tears. Well, I only noticed that when Jasmine whispered to me about that. Oops... look like I'm also that ignorant person... Jasmine tried to calm her down, but Johanna said that we were just laughing at her about what she did just now. She taught that we made her look like a clown, but in fact we were just embarrassed... I mean, when you start to get embarrassed, sometimes you will of course start to laugh out a bit, because you are blushing. Well, that's natural, and not something we could control about it, right?

After that, when Johanna's destination reached (same destination as mine), she just rush out of the train... When I reached the gate, she was gone in a puff...

Haiz... maybe we should also consider other people's feelings... Well, Jasmine and me had a thinner skin, so we couldn't really accept what we did. But, maybe we should consider other people feelings as well...

Seriously, making a big noise in public places like that could do more harm instead. We might get despised and bullied inside just like that... But of course, I feel that people should really need to have certain courtesy. It's kind of sad when I had to see the very elderly standing inside the train throughout the whole journey while nobody gave way to their seats... They would just sit their and mind their own business. Hmm... I always stand on the train, so didn't really experience much about giving my seat to other people who need it. Well, I did that a few times before, and they show their gratitute to me. Kind of nice to receive that.

Are We Courteous?
Well, maybe I'm one of that kind of person that only show mild courtesy. Some times, when people asked donations from me, I just walk pass them without taking a look for many occasions... Hmm... maybe I'm always in the hurry, but no matter what, even I do not want to donate, I should tell them kindly instead, by refusing them politely with a smile. It's ok, sometimes you might not really have that small change to spare for donations, or your wallet is usually out of your own convenience, but of course, it would be better if you could donate and help the needs.

I've came across a few bad occasions when people asked me to do a survey of them. Well, there was one of the occasions near the train station where a person approach me about the survey. As I was hurrying for time, I politely refuse them. The person starts to mumble vulgarities to me, also also curse me to have bad luck. What an evil mouth they had... That was just so rude! It also hurts people's feelings as well. There was another occasions where I had to look for my friends near the train station, and the person standing beside me wanted me to do the survey. Well, I didn't take note of that, only knew that when the person scolded me loudly right in front of me just like that. Some people of course just did not care about their courtesy and manners. I was so frustrated with that, I gave him and angry stare and walk away.

There were also occasions where I was given such poor services in fast food restaurants and shops. The person would just unwilling to provide the service and gave you all the rude looks and unmannered services... There are also those people whom I know was so rude to me... So upset about that... I would rather they don't care about me than to give me such treatments... Haiz...

Haiz... Really... I was thinking, are we born to be treated in such manner by all these people? What's the point of coming here, when people are just so rude and unmannered to you? Why should I get scolded and cursed just like that... Maybe... if that's the case... maybe I shoudn't be born... maybe I shouldn't come to this world...