DURING one rare weekend afternoon, my partner and I went mall-hopping, all to ourselves while our son (and constant companion) was out of town. After an exhaustive half-day of ticking off all that we’ve written in our list of to-dos and to-buys, we finally decided to sample the snacks at the open-air food oasis beside the Abreeza mall.
In agreement that we’d only have coffee and something to go with it, we found a seat across from a popular delicacy stall, which appeared popular, judging from a long queue in front of it. To add, many others were milling about, waiting for their orders to be served. With that as a cue, I promptly stood in line behind five people and waited for my turn.
While the process of lining up and placing one’s order was efficient and fast, what took longer time though, was the part of getting served. Eventually, the people waiting around the stall appeared more than those already in line. In my case, I had to stand in line for almost an hour.
When I finally joined the number of people hanging about, I was able to witness quite a number of little incidents, which we could call glimpses, when “studying human nature.”
First, I noticed a tall and athletic male, of either Chinese or Japanese descent, in clean white tees and street shorts, going back and forth several times before the dispensing stall staff to check if his orders had already been called out.
Then finally, on his last return, he began to loudly chastise the whole food crew, citing how long he had had to wait, then accusing them of poor service and even imploring those beside him to also take up his case.
No amount of pleading for understanding and reasoning from the hapless people in the booth could please him, even as, already clearly harassed, they still could not hurry if they wanted to. The amount of time it took to fry what they had offered just couldn’t be rushed.
Later I watched another, a senior man this time, garbed to the neck in gold and glitter, who, on the side, subtly offered to bribe the person at the stove to forgo the early orders and to instead serve him first.
All within earshot of everyone! When the lady refused, he likewise opened up, using the earlier soliloquy of the first guy and even went further, threatening to seek out the owner and report their supposed performance.
The two cases (and sadly a few more) I have witnessed, along with the rest of those who silently waited for their orders to be called.
After all that transpired, I could help but remember what an art connoisseur and blogger, Joanna Preysler who wrote years ago. She said, “Entitlement is a quiet kind of cruelty. A form of bullying. It convinces us we’re better than someone simply because they serve us. But no job warrants disrespect. And no amount of stature or money gives anyone the right to belittle. Decency isn’t weakness. It is dignity in action. It’s remembering that every person we encounter has a story. A family. A name.”
I know this silent form of abuse, intended or not, happens every day. If not for any other reason, it’s one simple point to ponder.
