Sorry seems to be the hardest word
She came in last, after her friends had taken up the seats opposite me. A big woman, tall and ski jacket bulky, every inch of her very Dutch and 30-something.
I had my nose stuck in my Word magazine, spelling out the articles and reviews -- trying to keep the world out. It's been one of those weeks. I really haven't recovered from that flu yet and a run in with a courier company had frayed the edges of my nerves. I wanted home, a cuppa, and I wanted it now.
THUNK.
She sat down next to me abruptly on the not quite 2-seater that some cars in Dutch trains have. Her bag was wedged between the arm rest and her butt. The other side of her was all over me. I couldn't move. We were stuck.
She started laughing. Her friends started laughing. Wiggling, she pulled the bag out from between her butt and arm rest. We were still wedged together. She kept laughing and left it at that.
During this time she did not apologise for her miscalculation. She did not address me at all. She just kept bloody giggling.
I tried to shift closer to the window, away from this woman, but it was no use. There was no space to move in.
"I'm sorry," I said, "there is no room left for me to sit." I got up. They all started laughing again.
I could still hear them laughing, at me not with me, when I sat down on the balcony between two cars, on a little fold up seat near the doors. 'Peace at last,' I thought, trying to still the demon in my head. When I lose my temper, it runs rampant.
THUD.
A stack of suitcases fell over, landing on my and my neighbour's legs. The traveller cursed and tried to stack them up again.
He did not apologise for my discomfort. He did not look at me at all.
There are days when I - sans automobile - understand road rage. When I understand why quiet postal workers pick up arms and wipe out fellow citizens at burger joints.
There are times when I have to sit on my fists to keep them from landing squarely onto someone's arrogant chin.
Gun control is a good thing.
Gun control is a good thing.
Maybe so, but "Happiness is a Warm Gun" ;-)
Seriously, I have had many days like that in the car and on public transport. Not fun. Hope you got your cuppa soon after.
Just readng that gives me the creeps and irritation as well. People really don't know how to say a simple "Sorry" anymore. The same goes with "Thanks". People don't know that word either.
And these are the same people who go around shouting 'foreigners should learn Dutch 'standards and values'.