I thank my lucky stars every day that my work day starts at 9:30 and that I live only three metro stops away from work. The difference between the metro at 9:15 am and 8:15 am is like night and day. At 9:15, when the trains arrive at my stop, I can comfortably get on and I don't even have to share my square meter with anyone (remember those ads from the beginning days of Transantiago? Comparte tu metro cuadrado. Haha.). At 8:15 am, it's almost impossible to get on a train.
Today I had to go do some visa tramites (not mine again, thank God) and therefore left my apartment earlier than normal. I was waiting for the metro at around 8:15am. I let one train go by without even trying to get on because it was so full. The next one that came looked a little more promising, plus more people were getting off. As soon as I saw my opportunity, I tried to get on the train, which was still very crowded. Just in that moment, another woman rushed in and took my spot, jostling me to the side and into another woman. I was standing precariously in the crack between the train and the platform, and tried to back into the train to avoid falling on my face. In the process, I bumped into the second woman again, then quickly realized I wasn't going to get on this train either, so I stepped back onto the platform. In that instant, the woman I had bumped into took the opportunity to start to complain about how I lacked manners and how did it ever occur to me to push her like that.
I was infuriated. I mean, yes, I pushed her. But I'm sorry, you're on the metro at 8:15am, lady, you're GOING TO GET PUSHED. It's inevitable. And plus, I was almost going to fall onto my face, so I'm sorry if you got pushed in the process. Cry me a river. (How do you say that in Spanish?)
Then, after my mini mind rant (because I don't think quick enough on my feet to ever say a retort like that in the moment, which is probably a good thing), I realized:
I just need to let it go. She's just a silly woman in a bad mood.
It's hard for me, though, to forget about even little things like this. Deep down, I'm very sensitive and care a lot about what other people think of me (even complete strangers).
I know I need to work on growing a thicker skin, because I'm very sensitive to even constructive criticism. Today my boss told me two things to help me write better in Spanish, which I appreciate so much because I need the help, but even so, there was a tiny part of me that felt stung. I think it's also related to the part of me that is such a perfectionist.
Anyway, I guess it's just something I need to work on, because despite being a perfectionist, I know that I'm far from perfect.
5 comments:
"Llórame un río", sería. Hay un grupo mexicano (Mana) que tiene una canción con ese nombre, creo. Siempre hacen canciones ultra mega super trágicas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROm_IcMgpGM
Te quería comentar que pasé unos días en Santiago y Valparaíso (acabo de volver a Temuco hace 20 minutos) y tuve como una docena de encuentros desagradables con mujeres de 50+ años, todas abusivas, saltándose su lugar en las filas y empujando a medio mundo.
O se pega la mala suerte de encontrarlas, o en Santiago y Valpo las mujeres de esa edad se trastornan y convierten en monstruos de ocho patas y dos cabezas. Viejas /#"(/#$/.
Hahaha, llorame un rio. Marmo's funny.
But yes, I agree, it's hard to let things go, especially when they've been building up all day. I feel your pain.
Ugh that drives me crazy when crabby ladies complain about being shoved. I never can think of anything to say at the moment, but usually I whip out my evil eyes. I once accidentally pushed a man, barely pushed him and he called me a fucking bitch. I looked at him and stared at him for 2 minutes with my evil eyes and he shoved his way to the next train. Uuf I'm not looking forward to morning rides to work on the metro...
I am sooo glad I don't have to take the metro at rush hour anymore!
I actually bought my first car (in Chile) after a particularly nasty shoving incident (there were elbows involved, and clothing in extreme disarray... and worse, I think I started it). I decided right then and there that I had to limit my daily exposure to other peoples' neurosis because it was having a cumulative effect on my own.
BTW- I wrote a post a while back called "Santiago Metro, the daily crush" with pictures for those who have not had the experience themselves! (http://cachandochile.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/santiago-metro-the-daily-crush/)
ugh nothing like getting on a crowded train. that's a huge upside to having to get to work early. though not nearly as nice as it was to walk to my job in chile. ho hum.
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