Bugger Off

That is generally your first reaction when someone pops the question,

"Hi, got a minute to spare...?"

These days, I have successfully emulated the oh so useful thanks-but-no-thanks small smile that you paste on your face when you see the pesky salesman trying too hard to catch your attention on the streets. If he turns insistent, I raise the polite but brutal hand that says, no I have made up my mind that I will not be interested in whatever you say. Be it credit card promoters or survey boys or the pretty flyer distributer, I avoid them like plague.

Before I came here, I used to acknowledge their presence. I would stop whatever I am doing to pay them some precious attention. I would fill out that 101 pages of survey willingly because I know exactly how tough it is to approach stranger after stranger enthusiastically, only to be rejected. Been there done that. Besides, everyone deserves a break in life. But..

I just have this come-and-talk-to-me face when it comes to strangers. Whether I want it or not. I would get stopped almost every time. Got bullied into buying 5 sweets and some packets of tissues in front of Cathay last time. Donated RM17 to some charity organisation in One U. Etc etc. What, do I look uber gullible?

I told myself, it is for the good of Mother Nature. If I take that piece of flyer, it means more paper has to be produced, more trees to be felled. I convinced my guilty conscience, it is for their own good. If I stopped to listen and turn out not interested at all, it would be wasting their time and effort. I scolded myself, it is for the good of my own being. I do not have the time or energy to entertain them only to have to think of a nice way to reject them afterwards.

Door stoppers, I call them. They are not entirely useless, but most of the time people kick them out of the way for convenience. Especially since they are so insignificant, you tend to forget they are there and may accidently kick your toe into it. Oww!

Times are bad. The number of door stoppers are increasing. DBS just announced a plan to retrench 900 employees over the weekend. That means 900 more jobless souls walking around. It totally suck, especially when costs of living are sky high. People are feeling jittery about money. No one has the time or mood to bother about door stoppers.

I swear, I would. If only I am not rushing to catch the bus or train. Or late for an appointment. Or having a nice conversation with a friend. Or listening to my fav song on mp3. Yeah, I would entertain you.

10 hours of sleep makes Vern a happy kid, ZZzzzZzzz..