Friday, October 8, 2010

Random Musings 1

Have you ever watched Black, White or Hispanic kids crossing the road? Have you noticed how they have no regard for the traffic light and just swagger onto the road, most times, causing drivers to screech their vehicles to a halt? Have you noticed how they step onto the road even when the light is on green for vehicles to have right of way? How  they take their time walking slowly and looking straight in the eyes of the vehicle driver, almost daring the driver to hit them?

Have you noticed how they step onto a busy road without as much as a glance either way to see whether a vehicle was coming or how close the vehicle might be? How they get on the road and it takes them anywhere five minutes to ages to cross? How they walk almost lackadaisically, swaying from side to side, all the while staring insolently at the vehicle driver for having the audacity to look annoyed.

That's actually what I find most annoying, the insolence with which they look at you as if to say, " why are you so mad because I'm doing such a mundane thing as crossing the road"? Or, why are you so mad that I'm an American youth exercising my rights and freedoms. Makes me wanna ask, what right, what freedom? Do you mean the right and freedom to be a fool?

Have you, on the other hand, seen Asian kids crossing the road? Have you noticed how they are model citizens during road crossing, and mostly everything else? How they dutifully look left, right and left again before venturing forward, almost timidly. And have you ever witnessed how they are immediately apologetic on the few occassions when they make the mistake of stepping onto the road without looking.

Very different from the other kids who would stare at you, almost malevolently, like you had no right to be on that road at that moment they chose to cross. Isn't it a relief to, every once in a while, run into well behaved kids in America? Kids who would actually say "excuse me sir, or ma'am" before they ask you a question or a favor? Instead of the ones who would demand, in a gruff voice, that same question or favor from you? Almost like it's their right to have that answer or favor and your job to provide it?

Isn't it a relief to know kids who would, actually, say "thank you" when you answer their question, or grant their favor instead of the ones who would simply walk away without, as much as, a nod of appreciation when you answer their demand? How about the kids who would say hi and be curteous when they meet someone? Isn't that a breath of fresh air given the norm with many American kids? Like I said, these are just some random musings of mine. What do you think?

1 comment:

  1. I like the write up, a funny but serious look at our kids behaviors. I thought I was the only one who noticed. Thanks for writing about these things.

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