CHUCUMBA

It really bothers me when people suddenly change. Their behaviours, attitude and actions all change only because they think it's ok to do so when they see some others doing that. Or is it the announcement on the train when it is reaching the station, makes them change? , "we are now reaching our final stop. All change please, all change".

I see this happening everyday. Prefectly normal, polite and sophisticated humans get on the train from the Midlands and when the train is about to reach Euston, they forget all their manners, don't care about giving respect and almost don't see others on the train. All they care about is how to get off the train before others and go through the ticket barriers even if that takes violating human rights or pushing someone. Its like there's a competition. Is there something in London's air that causes this effect? Does the air in London chemically react with some enzyme in their bodies and alter their brains functions?

Why do they stop giving a flying CHUCUMBA when they enter London?? (CHUCUMBA is word used for cucumber in Uganda and that's the only word I know from their language after watching a funny YouTube video of a TV interview on Ugandan TV. 'Not giving a flying CHUCUMBA' is my twist on 'not giving a damn').

Talking about CHUCUMBAs, this pair sitting opposite me didn't give any of that either. They got on the train from Birmingham and kept talking loud in Polish language amongst themselves until they got off at Coventry. The only thing I could understand was a couple of swear words which I was very kindly taught by my Polish friends around 15 years ago when I worked at a factory. But this duo used the words flawlessly in almost every sentence they spoke. I was almost drawn into their conversation because some of the words they use almost sound like punjabi (another language I know.. lol) . And they were delivering them words with the right aggression in their tone.

Before yesterday, I'd not seen strangers getting to know each other and talking loud in a train even though when it was their first meeting. But what happened yesterday has slightly restored my faith in the fact that there is still some humanity in London commuters. On my train back to Birmingham yesterday, I witnessed a young lad with a large can of monster reluctantly sitting on a seat that was reserved (he definitely didn't reserve that). He was later joined by 2 ladies. Their talking point was when the train set off and they realised one of the seat was showing reserved but free. The lady in her 30s said I'm going to sit in that seat (opposite her) to which the lad who was 23, has recently got engaged, worked as a technical sales agent for a paint company and had been with his girl friend for 3 and a half years (yeh they started talking so much that they told each other their life stories and were even offering food to each other because the ladies liked him and cared that he must be hungry after he told them since he was travelling to London he didn't get the time to eat) said you don't need to ask me. The lad loved to drink!!So he told them.. and boasted about having a company card to pay for everything. But was this because they were traveling out of London?

On the tube yesterday, I stood next to a man who offered some sweets to a lady who didn't look like she knew him at all. But the weird thing is without saying a word she took the sweet and had it. The man then noticed me looking at him so he pulled out the sweet box again and without saying a word but just by raising his eyebrows offered me the sweet too. I thanked him for the offer but didn't have it as I'm already sweet. This was almost a complete opposite of what people do in tubes. I'm still thinking if I was imagining that.. But this has definitely made me think if we have sweets while travelling in London the bad air cannot chemically react to change our behaviour. Does that mean sweets can make someone sweet?

I like what Robert T. Bennett (who was chairman of the Ohio Republican Party... Yes I'm impressed by his quotes and I'm quoting him for the second time) said , “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.”

I also like what C. JoyBell C. (an author) said, "There is some kind of a sweet innocence in being human- in not having to be just happy or just sad- in the nature of being able to be both broken whole, at the same time."

No matter what the situation is, try and stay as cool as a CHUCUMBA... Lol

Have a great weekend. Please keep your comments coming.

Adeel