When I step out in the early morning for my constitutional, the night watchman invariably in deep sleep, would draw his jutting legs together under the sheet, lest I should trip over them. How could he extend this courtesy even in deep sleep?
Mystery! I do not wake him up, since if he chooses to leave in a huff, a replacement may not be easily found. As I move further, the wispy, elderly lady living in the house with a trellised archway of bougainvillea will splash water on the forecourt, ahead of drawing a kolam . She would wearily throw the water left in the bucket in a huff, with admirable marksmanship, without drenching any passer-by. When I turn the corner, the benign husband-wife duo would in their brisk walk split, to let me pass through. But I would walk around them without coming indecorously in between the couple.
Next, the dog lover would appear leading a pair of well-fed German Shepherds on leash, their mouths muzzled so they can neither bark nor bite. Mindful of the canine propensity to let go from their other end in open space, he would carry in a shoulder bag, the pooper scooper kit. As I pass him, he will toss a proud smile hinting that he subscribes to our Pradhan Mantri’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.
Habituated to hold the door open in banks, restaurants and such for ladies and gentlemen about to enter, to let them pass first, with the ‘after you’ courtesy uppermost in mind, I have seen on many occasions the lady or gentleman going past, as if I am a doorman paid to do such menial things. Only a few of them would smile and say ‘thanks’. Many do not follow an unwritten rule that when the lift reaches their floor, the waiting people should allow the occupants to come out and should not barge in, resulting in an avoidable chaos. Many motorists do not pause even on a zebra crossing when a pedestrian — even a lady with a child or an old man hobbling across pleadingly raising his hand to gain notice — is crossing the road. Such boorish things may happen in other countries as well. One American wit had quipped: “There are only two types of pedestrians in New York. The quick and the dead.”
Though the roads are widened now and then offering very little space to the pavements, many two-wheeler riders having no patience to stop and proceed after getting disentangled from the traffic gridlock, ride on the pavements, endangering the limbs and lives of people walking on them. Even young Lochinvar, of the eponymous Sir Walter Scott’s poem, would not have ridden his horse with Ellen, his lady love, in the saddle in such haste.
The other day, as I passed the regulars during my morning walk, feeling happy that ‘God’s in his heaven/All is alright with the world’, an old Maruti 800 pulled up near me. The door opened and a tall and distinguished-looking man with silver hair, broad forehead and a Roman nose got down after extricating himself from the small jalopy like an Eskimo from his igloo. He joined his palms in salutation, and spoke in a fruity voice: “Sorry to disturb you during your morning walk, sir. Will you kindly guide me to the Ashok Pillar?”
Moved by such old-world courtesy still in vogue, I gave him the directions. He looked pleased. Before he could thank me, I intervened: “Sir, why did you trouble yourself to come out of the car. You could have asked me through the window?”
He shook his head in disagreement. “That would be discourteous, sir. When I want a favour from you I should alight from the car and ask. The seeker should not sit in an ivory tower.” His wife, a picture of marital bliss, who also got down, nodded in agreement, beaming beatifically.
The east displayed its star performer. A cuckoo called lustily, spreading good cheer.
Feeling perky, I egged myself on. The transcendentalist Emerson had ruled, ‘Life is short but there is always time enough for courtesy’. He would not have had a more apt exemplifier than Marie Antoinette, the infamous queen of France. When her head was to be guillotined in a matter of minutes, she said, “Pardon me, Sir,” to the executioner as her foot accidentally stepped on his on the scaffold! Fancy that!
