This fellow I know was walking somewhere in town when he comes across a well-dressed guy without a face mask. That wasn’t normal: people at that age seldom acted so irresponsibly when the problem affects them too. So, our fellow reasons that the guy probably forgot to put it on maybe because he was lost in some thought when he left home. There are so many things these days which interfere with our ability to keep the machines of the brain working properly. “Yes, he forgot to put it on; that’s what happened.” He just couldn’t have left home bare-faced by choice!
Time to be the good, caring, ‘citizen of the decade’ sort of person; “Sir, you forgot to put your face mask on,” he politely reminds the guy. Well that was material enough for a big “Thank you for reminding me.” The guy, with everyone around wearing theirs and him probably around the half-century age, no wonder he missed a heartbeat or two. Well, the only thing missing on his part was just the tiniest bit of civility. Even ‘certified’ goons would go that far!
What happens was the guy practically blows his top and growls; It I’s none of your business!” The fellow who thought he was doing his civic duty says he was shocked to his core. It was the last response he expected. That was not all. The guy just let out all sorts of expletive language, things you expected from a rowdy teenager terrorizing an entire neighborhood. Now, this was not about the guy shrinking into his shell with embarrassment. Nothing to be embarrassed about! But even if he left the face mask deliberately a little nod of acknowledgement would have been human. Of course with the pandemic situation worsening and the news being all over the airwaves, it is unlikely that the fellow is alien to the real picture.
Where have all the nice manners gone. Where are all the nice people gone! Was he angry over something? Maybe; then let him take his anger elsewhere! It’s as if ‘nice’ become a four-letter word.
Unfortunately, these days there are those who act like the guy in our story, going out without their face masks. The infection and death counts rising worryingly seeing more people without their face masks is the ugliest paradox. Why they are acting that way a million dollar question; no mystery about it! These are irresponsible pole who don’t care about the wellbeing and lives of others, and their arrogance is shielding them from realizing fully that they, too, are in the firing line.
The irresponsible acts are widespread. Take social distancing; The professionals are telling told us in black and white that social distancing was one of the most effective way of avoiding the spread. All the lockdown moves we see round the world about that, social distancing. But any person who tries to see the situation in most part of the city it is as if the population hasn’t heard about social distancing. The indifference and the after-me-the-deluge mindset are forcing us to pay the price, and it is painful, very
painful. Ask the likes of me who relies on minibuses sand also city buses to move around, “How are things with guys using public transport?” and the answer would be “Terrible! Terrible! Terrible!” Things are that severe.
There are a couple of things we’ve to clear. Someone was telling me that the second wave is sweeping across the world and we cannot escape that. What in the world does that mean? We don’t have to look at the picture in the rich countries top justify what is unjustifiable. What is more is that few., if any, take this as a ‘second wave.’ most countries are paying the price for the simple reason that they let down their guard to soon! That’s it! These days wearing face masks is being mandatory in most countries because many were putting the lives of others in danger.
There is also this problem of law enforcement. The state of emergence is still in place and we’re required wearing face masks is mandatory. In the first weeks things were promising. Almost everybody was wearing face masks. Then those days of disturbances came and, as far as the pollution was concerned the pandemic was pushed to the second place in the agenda list. The disturbances having put the entire country on edge maybe it is no wonder priorities changed. But once order was restored and the county regained its breath, things were becoming business as usual, as any one venturing out on the streets of Addis could see. In the early days we managed to keep our distances while we waited for minibuses. These days you could practically feel the breath of the guy behind you on your neck. It is that bad!
Officials are publicly ‘pleading’ for people to adhere to protective methods. ‘Pleading,’ that is what’s happening. Unfortunately, many of us are interpreting that wrongly, as the decision is ours and no one can interfere. The guy who said “None of your business!” was saying in other words “Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?” he bad-mouth the Good Samaritan because he believes the decision to wear face masks was, according to his muddled brains, his and his only.
Recently a friend of mine saw one muscular guy in a war of words with a couple of law enforcement persons who told to put his face mask. What happened was he refuses and goes into all sorts of rants. He was sending a message sounding like, law or no law, you don’t tell me what to do!” Things were about to get out of control when an elderly man convinced the guy to put on his face mask, and cool down the officers. That guy should have been hauled all the way to the nearest dungeon! One reason so many are acting so irresponsibly is that enforcement is lax! Other countries are going into take-no-prisoners mode because either you respect the rules, or else you face the consequences!
To the guy who barked at the Good Samaritan, “None of your business!” a word of advice, “It’s everyone’s business!”
The “None of your business!” mindset wouldn’t take us across any bridge.
The Ethiopian Herald July 31/2020
Ephrem Endale Contributer
