Rant

I'm lying here thinking what to write and to do something different I may write a rant. Please don't take it too seriously it's just blowing off steam!

I admit I do sometimes wonder if I have been struck down by the curse of invisibility, but it only seems to work on some people, others seem to see me with no problem. My family hasn’t mentioned anything to suggest that I am disappearing, or in some way transparent. So why is it that some people fail to see me? Or is it perhaps because they are too downright lazy, arrogant or just unpleasant.

            There are several examples of the invisibility syndrome, obviously in places where there are a lot of people, such as towns and shopping centres. We have always had the aggressive bully type who will crash straight into us, but the habit seems to me to be spreading to very different characters. One of my favourite examples is the refusal to release the hand of the girlfriend or wife in a narrow area. There is clearly no way that two people can pass unhindered, but many attached people seem to live with the belief that they have the right to hold hands at all times, regardless of the situation. What are our options? Crash through with righteous indignation, or stop politely and let them pass. I know which one I favour.

            In a similar setting there can be found the oil tanker mentality. Oil tankers do, of course, have very large turning circles and are slow to manoeuvre; so they stay on the same course. This desire to stay on a set course can be found in the determined shoppers. They will select a route to their chosen destination and will stick to that route regardless of the inconvenience and discomfort it causes others.

            Possibly my least favourite treatment while I am suffering from invisibility is the complete ignorance of my presence. I swear they mustn’t be able to see me. This behaviour can be found in some shops and supermarkets. No hello, please, thank you or goodbye, from the cashier. Your items are scanned and if really lucky your presence may be acknowledged by fleeting eye contact at the end of the interaction (for want of a better, more accurate word).

            The star of the show has to be the etiquette of public door opening. I was brought up to hold doors open for people and to say thank you when someone did the same for me. I feel guilty if I say thank you and think the person hasn’t heard me, or if I inadvertently let a door swing because I don’t think there is anyone there. I would have to physically restrain myself to not say thank you. Just the other day I was going to the local pub for a meal with my father. A mini-bus had just arrived so my father waited and held the door open and they all just passed through without even acknowledging his presence. I’m not one to take such arrogant disregard, so I challenged them on their behaviour; all I got in return was startled looks then disgruntled words among themselves as if I’d just insulted them.

            I truly despair when it comes to common courtesy and respect. We should take every opportunity to challenge this behaviour, or pretty soon our common decency of times gone by will be lost, and somehow that seems to be the loss of something special to Britain.