On etiquette...

It seems as if Generation Me are living up to their name. Leave it to the cynic to find out the hard way.

I was all packed and ready to go up to my weekly escape in Haifa for the weekend when I began to make my way out of my dorm room.

Delighted that this meant another week gone by in the worst maintained buildings on earth - I lifted my bag [ I mean a medium sized suitcase that looks like a sport bag] remembering to bend my knees and lift with my legs like a good OH&S person will tell you.

Riding this wave of relief I proceeded to walk down the stairs and make my way to Arabic class when I was greeted by not one, not two, not three, but yes, FOUR girls who wanted to make their way up the stairs.

Totally ignorant to the fact that:

1. my bag was horizontal and they could not fit past me

2. my bag was 20 kilos (44 pounds for those that use that archaic system)

3. I was the one coming down the stairs

The first girl managed to squeeze past, the second barely, the third forced me to move my back and scrape half the wall with what is likely carcinogenic paint.

Finally comes the fourth girl, I thought maybe... JUUUUUUUUUST maybe they would realise that a person carrying a bag down the stairs means you should move aside so they can get through...

But alas - this did not take place as I had to again stop because this girl somehow managed to walk under my bag.

That wasn't the end of the story though, oh no...

It was at this point that those people who realise they're wrong and just move on keep walking up the stairs but I was met with howls of "DUDE DUDE DUDE"

"Yes?" I enquired, still holding my bag.

"You could've said sorry," the girl said.

"It would've been easier had you moved aside," I replied.

The girls walked up the stairs but not before the foul cry of "Asshole" rang out and echoed through the stairwell.

I, like the normal person I am went on my way putting it down to just a freak series of events and thought nothing of it.

The roommate above me was then asked whether I was his roommate at which point he saw these aforementioned girls knocking on every door trying to hunt down the guy who had the audacity to walk down the stairs with a heavy bag hoping someone will move aside for two seconds to let him through.

I simply ask where do you draw the line when you decide to move aside or just walk past someone?

Did I need to be carrying a fridge for them to move aside?

Or maybe a plasma screen?

Or maybe the answer is just hold your heavy item until people walk past you.

Here's to one less week of having to carry my bag down those ill fated dorm room stairs.

L'chaim.

- the cynic -