Kiss my ass.
Before I begin my rant, I do want to tell you that I do consider myself a considerate person, one who cares for the elderly, handicapped, pregnant, those with small kids and those with nonsense for kids on the MRT. I do give my seat to them if I deem that they need the seat more than I do. Subjective.
What I do not do (when I am seated at the normal seat – not priority seat), is to look out for people who needs these seats more than I do. If I see, I get up. If I don’t, then too bad, hey I paid for my fare just as you and the other person next to me did and I’m not going to make it my business to look out for you. Selfish? Again, subjective.
Anyway what happened yesterday on the MRT made me so pissed!
So there I was with 2 bags. 1 bag saggy under the weight of a laptop and the other is my handbag. I found a seat – to my delight and dismay. It was the priority seat that SMRT “says” is for people who fit into the four illustrations:
I hate sitting on the priority seat. Makes me feel as if I should keep a constant lookout for these “privileged” people.
Anyway I got up, and I was reading these notes from work. Just a quick glance. I was just cursing myself at forgetting to bring my novel or knitting to pass my time. So it was just a quick glance.
I noticed the lady beside me getting up. It just felt weird that she should be getting up at that moment so I looked up abit. I saw this 50 year old woman in red (black hair, fairly wrinkled face, with sports shoes on) and since I figure the girl beside me is getting up to give her the seat, I don’t have to. So I look down at my notes for a moment more before I hear this woman talking loudly.
I looked up again to realise that she seemed to be calling for someone from the OTHER end of the carriage to sit at the empty seat beside me. Well, fine I thought. Just as well, since she doesn’t really look like she NEEDS a seat.
This old man came wobbling over and I thought ooo… now he deserves a seat. Then I notice this woman kept looking over my head and I realised that oh, maybe she wants a seat. Oh alright, I could give it to her. Then as I was packing up my things to get up (notes remember?) to give her the seat, she said, “Excuse me if you don’t mind…” and points at the stupid SMRT “priority seat sign” above me.
And did I want to shoot her a retort and start an arguement?
No. I did not. That illustrates exquisite restraint on my part.
I just got up and she just sat down, WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A THANK YOU.
1) She fucking EXPECTED it for herself.
2) Who needs a seat is subjective. And in this case, even though I really didn’t think she needed one, I was going to let her sit.
3) Wtf? No thank you? No smile? Nothing?!
4) Excuse me if I don’t mind? Yea I don’t mind giving my seat to you, and I was going to anyway, but your attitude sucks big time.
I hate people like this. REALLY hate them.
By them I mean people who EXPECT seats to be given to them. People who are ungrateful. Singapore has become a nation of people who follow the rules so closely that there is no grace anymore. Nothing comes from the heart. Everything comes from the government and the rules they make.
That’s not to say I have met people who refuse to be given a seat, people who thank others profusely, you know? The bits of this and that that makes the world better. The thank yous, the please, the smiles, the graciousness.
Eh hell lah, this woman and this old man came from the OTHER end of the carriage – where there’s another “priority” seat. So why the hell did they have to cross the bloody crowded cabin and terrorize me?
And when as I stood and looked down at this woman who sat without a thanks, did I even say anything or send vicious darts over? No, I did not. This, in my mind, is another illustration of control in heroic proportions.
I am NOT saying that asking for a seat from the one in the privileged seat is wrong. But at very least, have a bit of courtesy in you to say thank you. And be prepared for the occupier to suddenly reveal a sprained ankle or something to you. Well it could happen!
AND don’t expect an immediate offer of seat if the occupier is doing something! Like, me for instance, if you are not intuitive enough to see that I am packing my stuff to get up, hell, you shouldn’t even be allowed out into society! I maintain, I WAS GOING TO GET OUT when she “demanded” a seat and sat without a thanks.
Bitch.
Bitch Bitch.
Damn this rant is not enough.
Subjective sign
If SMRT puts up subjective signs for a country made up of a whole bunch of inconsiderate people to read, I suppose I get inconsiderate idiots who are determined to interpret it the worst way possible and idiots who expected themselves to benefit from it.
And don’t bother even telling me how the seat is to be vacant till someone deserving of it comes along. People here are just not ready for this.