Etiquette

Now that E is back to school and I'm here alone, I'm going to have to discover what this is all about! Perhaps I'll write here more often? Perhaps I'll walk two times a day like the doctor prescribed? Perhaps I'll just go crazy! No work on the horizon yet, alas.

I've been noticing lately the societal rules of etiquette. "Sir" is most common. "Welcome, Sir", "Good morning, sir", etc.

When I went to the bank today to open an account (which I couldn't for a year!) there were two guards outside and one inside. Did I have to touch the door? No. "Hello, Sir." When I exited, all three said "Thank You, Sir!"

In the store, when you pay for something, everyone who works there and is nearby says "Thank You, Sir." There are a lot of employees in most places, perhaps to minimize shoplifting! Each is stationed at their spot, say pots and pans, or mens slacks, or whatever. And as you go by they invite you to look at what they have. This is especially so in the large department stores like SM. There are sometimes people demonstrating a gadget, a steam iron, or whatever. And they're all young except for the managers, who tend to be a little older.

I never see older people working in the large malls. They tend to have their own sari-sari shops, veggie stands, etc. Or they're retired? Or their kids are supporting them?

At the wet market it's a mix of ages. Probably most older people are dead here, actually. I'm sure life expectancy among the poor is much lower, and those who survive seem to just disappear into their homes.

When I walk the streets I sometimes see them at their doors, either sitting over tea, or just sitting and watching what goes by. Tonight I took a walk in the area where I go to the wet market. It was a little drizzly and everything looked especially dirty, in fact, quite unappetizing! In the morning people will be out by 6 a.m. sweeping up all the trash from the day before. It's amazing how many are always out sweeping in the mornings.

I walked in another direction this morning, into an obviously more affluent area. On every street I met 2 men walking in the opposite direction, enjoying their morning exercise. The houses were still wall to wall, but front gardens were nicer, as well as facades. I must say it felt much more comfortable to me. Not like tonight.

Tonights walk, however, was "enlightening". Everyone was out on the street, men were still working in their filthy repair shops, veggie stands nonexistant, sari-sari shops are almost closed for the day. The trash and filth just a few blocks that way is pretty awful, as are the houses that are essentially put together with scrounged materials with tin roofs. Front doors were open, showing pretty dingy interiors. I'd live outside too! It wasn't a pretty picture. I'd rather not live like that. Two or three floors of nailed together shacks, with an occasional concrete building. Each block seemed to get worse and worse. I turned around!

I felt rather out of place with my earphones playing the radio (from my cellphone), my expensive umbrella, and my obvious foreign skin. A few said, "Hi, what's your name?" I'm saying "Joe" now, taking the lazy way out. Easier that way.

When I first went out four poor boys suddenly came around wanting change. I had none in my pants, but they kept with me for a block. Sweet, obviously bright, but a little pesky with their hungry sign language pleas. How to handle that? It's all humbling! Finally they realized I was of no use to them and drifted away.

Drifting away....interesting thought. Think about it!