The Deadly Sin

On my way to the reading-room the other day, a big fat Innova cut me in my lane and crossed in front of me, making me miss the signal. This maniac of a rickshaw driver came so close to my car, that he would have scratched it. I don’t care for scratches, who does? But I’m a tad more finicky especially when the car is newly serviced.

I waited anxiously for the light to finally turn, thinking about how pathetic and reckless some of these drivers were. All the talks about the RTO becoming strict about handing out licenses. Bull shit!

A horn sounded and I looked up to realize the signal was go, and before I could move, with a cacophony of horns the driver behind me just whipped past. I glared at him, but didn’t respond. How could I? The window was up. But nevertheless I was too polite to hassle myself up with some loser who had forgotten his manners.

So I was slightly distracted, and a second late, it wasn’t a big deal. But who’s going to explain that to some bonehead who had not heard of the word ‘patience’. People, I have observed are so piqued all the time. It is annoying to deal with them.

 

At the reading-room, two people were having a tiff. They were obviously together, I mean an item, or you can say a couple (jeez, why is it so difficult to find an appropriate term), and they carried on their sniping for a good part of an hour.

Their tones were mild, but the constant bickering and glaring interrupted by the girl’s sniffs was quite disconcerting especially when you are trying to understand a particularly difficult concept of the new amended Accounting Standards which have been recently added to our already massive and burdensome syllabus of CA Final studies. Ughh! For God’s sakes it is a reading-room, a public place where people come to study. So please deal with your personal matters outside, wherever, but not here!

I spent the next hour trying to concentrate really hard, in spite of the fact that I couldn’t get a handle on the theory and the incessant background music (not). And every time I looked up, the disputing couple, being hushed by a few other students, was giving condescending and challenging looks around. As if anyone was interested in arguing with them. The nerve! I hurriedly packed up my books, and shot them a mean look as I left, just to let them know I did not approve of their behaviour.

 

So many angry people. It is like an epidemic, I thought. Was it possible to have just a single day filled with people raised to be more considerate and accommodating. And with a refined, social attitude?

 

As I was leaving I met a friend, who asked what the matter was. “Just the usual, blah blah” I mumbled.

“No no. Why are YOU so angry?” she asked.

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Everywhere I look – around me, inside me, there is so much resentment,  so much dissatisfaction. Day after day, on television, in newspapers, at office, in college, on trains and buses, and in the streets, everyone is acting out loud, yelling and swearing and brawling and just not minding their manners.

Why is everyone so infuriated? And why do they have to be so public about it? I really don’t have an answer to it.

 

 

So much negativity is surely not good. Anger is, after all one of the seven deadly sins, and justifiably so. The fact that it’s on this list makes it a mighty challenge to overcome. But shouldn’t we take it up, before it annihilates us all?