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Guest Columnists: Maxine Tassinari-Teixeira |
“BE SWEET – OFFER YOUR SEAT”; “DON’T BE A LOUT – LET THEM OUT”;
“DON’T DASH WITHOUT YOUR TRASH”; “DON’T DRONE ON THE PHONE.”
So what is all that?
The T has launched a “courtesy campaign” aimed at
trying to tell riders how to act like polite human beings.
What’s wrong with this picture? Dammit, it shouldn’t
be the job of the T to have to teach people how to be polite and act
toward other people. It IS the job of parents. It’s also treating
people how you would like to be treated.
In my mind, the T is going about it much too cutesy. Some people
need a slap upside the head.
When parents cared enough to teach their children how to behave in
public - it went like this – if an adult is standing, no child
should be sitting; when people are standing in front of the door,
they move out of the train so other people can get out. The train is
not your cafeteria, dressing table or bathroom. There should be no
eating, putting on makeup or brushing hair. The train is also not
your office or home. No one wants to hear your phone conversations.
Whatever you bring onto the train, you take with you when you leave
the train.
And you GET UP when an elderly person, pregnant woman
or disabled person needs a freaking seat.
Now we have an announcement – “Federal Law mandates priority seating
be made available to elderly or handicapped persons.” I understand
the need for the law in other areas, but this shouldn’t be necessary
on the train.
Unlike the cutesy sign, I want to say “Get the hell
up, idiot”
I spent 8 weeks on crutches during the summer and I
have to admit I am stunned there are not a whole lot of assault and
battery cases with handicapped, disabled or elderly folks as
defendants. There were many times I wanted to swing those crutches
as some fool’s head who saw me standing there and closed his eyes
pretending to be asleep!!!
The days of a “gentleman” giving a “lady” his seat are gone. However
the days of people treating people as fellow humans on this journey
through life and on the train should not be.
Maxine Tassinari-Teixeira
is an occasional columnist for eastboston.com |
