Tokyo, Procrastination
Published on February 11, 2006 By momijiki In Blogging
I suppose it is human nature to harp on stuff that really ticks us off.

But, there is also something to be said for knowing when to stop and for being gracious when you get what you want.

Case in point, a little... disagreement I had with this old Japanese man on the train.

Ok, I had my headphones a little too loud. Sorry. No problem if one at least pretends to have some degree of civility. But no. This guy just starts in and bitches at me. Let me say this. I have a lot of respect for old people. I am also one of the few people who gives up their seat on the train for an older person. But being old does NOT give someone a right to be impolite even if my music was too loud.

So I decided to ignore him. Then he pokes me. I told him to leave me alone and that had he asked me nicely I would have done it. Then I turned up my music and ignored him. I know. Very mature of me.

Two stops go by and he nicely (well, nicer anyway) asks me to turn down the music. I think about it, decide to stick to my word and turn off the music. So I just sit there and and look out the window.

But for two whole stops, he goes on and on at me about... I'm not really sure as I was trying to ignore him until he pokes at me again and tries to get my attention in that same snitty voice as before. So I lose my temper and ask him if he'd like to listen to my music again.

He blinks his eyes and asks me what I mean.

Why didn't I change seats? Don't know. Stubborn I guess. Finally a middle age lady asks if we can change seats. I tell her that she's being really nice and change seats with her. And the guy starts bitching to her!

She's telling him it's over and just forget about it. But no. He has to keep going on. I don't know how long he kept it up for as I got off before him.

It pisses me off sometimes that older Japanese people feel they need to school me. Crossing legs while sitting on the train. Bad. Fine. But don't just school the white chick. School the 7 other people on the train who are doing the same thing and sitting three to four people away. Why not school the guys who sit with their legs WIDE open and take up an extra seat? That's on the manner list as well.

Well, whatever. I guess in an urban area of 20 some million, you're going to meet a few kooks. But if you ask someone to do something and they do it, let it go at that, already!

Comments
on Feb 13, 2006
But if you ask someone to do something and they do it, let it go at that, already!


Or as I like to say, "When you've won, shut up."

It's amazing how often someone will win (or be winning) but will so continue to go on and on about it that they manage to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

on Feb 13, 2006
snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."


Oh, I like that one!

That was a weird week when that happened. Lots of people (as I heard so not just my perception) were being weird and cranky.
on Feb 13, 2006
Gene provides insights frequently.  And this is one of them.
on Feb 13, 2006
I can't believe he kept poking you! I can't believe you let him get away with that! I know you didnt but gee, some people. I'm so glad I don't take the train to work anymore. In NY I had to take the Subway and there were some not so fun moments! He won't go to those other riders to say anything to them he probably saw you as an easy target!
on Feb 14, 2006
I often feel like I have a big "M" on my forehead for "easy mark". My husband says it's because I have "a bad habit of looking people in the eye." sheesh