Polite Canadians? Not in Toronto
Increasingly, the urban jungle is testing my chi. Anyone who thinks they are above being rude to others has never lived in Toronto. Never rode the TTC during rush hour. Never held an open door for someone and had them walk through completely ignoring them. Never tried to get on an elevator as the doors closed, while blank faces stared back at you as if you were completely invisible. Why do I feel rage when some tourist or subway newbie stands in the middle of the escalator, when clearly the rules are common knowledge: immobile lazy human yawns on the right, narcissistic speeding shoe drivers on the left?
Don't get me wrong: The pace, the adrenaline, the moving and shaking, the option of anonymity and the lifestyle in general are what I crave. The suburbs, with their rows of faceless, generic paper-walled subdivisions are not my style. I'd feel like a bug in a jar. The country? Nice to get away to. I'm stuck here, a willing captive of my metropolitan desire. Problem is - what do you do with the rage? How do you deal with the urge to sucker punch people who walk with their heads down? I can't be like Woody Allen, who once said something like "I don't get angry. I grow a tumour instead". Intellectually, I know aggression is not the answer. If that is true, then what is the answer?
Over the past 20 years, Toronto the quaint and polite has grown into Toronto the world class population-pressurized boiling-over-pot of human frustration. How do we cope with our new found New Yorkness? Is this progress kids? Canada, politics, k-dough, liberal, conservative, harper, Ontario, kdough, criticism, neo-con, commentary, communications, legislature, Chretien, election,policy, hand guns, Toronto
Don't get me wrong: The pace, the adrenaline, the moving and shaking, the option of anonymity and the lifestyle in general are what I crave. The suburbs, with their rows of faceless, generic paper-walled subdivisions are not my style. I'd feel like a bug in a jar. The country? Nice to get away to. I'm stuck here, a willing captive of my metropolitan desire. Problem is - what do you do with the rage? How do you deal with the urge to sucker punch people who walk with their heads down? I can't be like Woody Allen, who once said something like "I don't get angry. I grow a tumour instead". Intellectually, I know aggression is not the answer. If that is true, then what is the answer?
Over the past 20 years, Toronto the quaint and polite has grown into Toronto the world class population-pressurized boiling-over-pot of human frustration. How do we cope with our new found New Yorkness? Is this progress kids? Canada, politics, k-dough, liberal, conservative, harper, Ontario, kdough, criticism, neo-con, commentary, communications, legislature, Chretien, election,policy, hand guns, Toronto
posted by K-Dough at 9:54 AM
6 Comments:
personally, I like to carry around a long sharp stick...
I find that a quick little jab in the ass and a very sarcastic apology when they glare at you to be quite effective...
I get annoyed with those people who rush the subway doors when you're trying to exit the train. Now I just hold my ground and let them bounce off me.
Their startled looks and cries of surprise are quite the reward.
Bring peace to the world, except these impatient twits.
Peace schmeace. Pummel 'em in the neck meat with a barrage of fists of steel.
Damn, angry boy is coming out again. Time to take my Lorazepam and out on my nature sounds CD...back in a bit.
Personally, I manage it by taking frequent holidays, but obviously not everyone can do that.
I guess the only answer is to take a deep breath when someone pisses you off, and remember that reacting to their provocation (or simply obliviousness/rudeness/stupidity etc.) is increasing your stress and blood-pressure and is bad for your health.
Try to think of something more pleasant. Remember the last nice thing your partner/best friend/parents/kids said to you. In your case, K-dough, just picture your little girl's smiling face.
Oh, and carrying a hip flask full of Scotch helps, too. It works for me, anyway.
Try spending some time in bloody Athens, Gr., where little old ladies are elbowing me out of the way as I try to type this. Just learn how to roll with the bounces, or move to the country if you're not in a hurry...
Hey hip- hope all is well in that retsina dream you are living in right now...Li'l Miss-M misses you!
Post a Comment
<< Home