Illustration: Natelle Quek
This is something that has been starting to irk the shit out of me lately. I’m not sure why I care so much, maybe it’s because I’m becoming more sophistimicated, but likely it’s just an annoying pet peeve. What I’m talking about is the act of people who spit in public places.
As I was walking back to my office today from a coffee break I happened to cross the paths of a young lovely woman moving in the opposite direction. Nearing closer and closer, she suddenly makes a throat clearing sound and then quickly unloads a wet sticky yellow wad of phlegm mere inches from my feet. Fucking gross.
Now here’s the thing, I’m not completely adverse to spitting, in fact, it was a popular past-time in elementary school amongst my fellow schoolyard brethren. Distance and aim were the name of the game and we did it often, typically from the highest point we could climb up to. In my day, we called it “hawking a loogie.” So yea, it’s a pretty fun male bonding thing, but when you are a grown ass person in a public area, well that’s when things like manners and class come into play.
As social artists, these are types of minor things that need a good look every once in awhile, as it’s sometimes easy to overlook such things. Though spitting in public might seem like an obvious bad mannerism, it certainly wasn’t clear to the previously attractive girl that spat in my vicinity today.
Of course, I will admit, seeing a hot girl like this spit so openly is a fairly rare occurrence but what isn’t rare are the guys who frequently feel the need to spread their saliva across the city. I haven’t gone one day in a Boston subway station without seeing some thuggish dude dribbling his throat snot all over the platform. What the fuck guys, haven’t you seen the looks of disgust you are getting from the ladies?!
I think some people just don’t realize that taking a look at small bad habits like spitting in public could possibly increase their ‘class’ levels significantly or at least keep from detracting from an already attractive person.
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I’m with you on this, I think it shows a lack of class and courtesy for others who are going to step in your throat goo. It makes me irate when people spit near me. If you feel the need to regurgitate things that often, perhaps you should bring a cup with you… then you can carry your grossness with you too. The only thing worse than spitting is a snot rocket.
Was she a foreigner? This is acceptable in some cultures.
I agree with you though, it’s disgusting and inconsiderate.
People always say that depending on if you look straight ahead or down determines your confidence. Wrong! I look down because I don’t want to step on other people’s spit. It’s so gross I don’t even want it on the sole of my shoes.
@GirlX,
Oh man, don’t even get me started on snot rockets….
@Vincent Ignatius,
It’s hard to tell if she was foreign or not, she was a Caucasian though, so I suspect that she was likely American, not positive though.
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