A Salute To The Silent Stranger On The Street

I went to town today to get some new shoes. While walking back past JJB, I came across a pedestrian diversion. While work is being done, there is a narrowed lane to walk down. It is about wide enough for five people.

Well this is where my point begins. Walking the other way was a morbidly obese chav and her mates in a row. I was walking towards them behind a guy. The guy in front of me tucked as close to the side as he could to make it past the walking Adidas road block. As he passed them, the larger one swung her arms in an over extravagant fashion while telling some pathetic story. In the process, she slammed her oversized bag into the guy who was trying to pass.

Now what do you think is the appropriate response here? When I knock people, I tend to apologise. Apparently I am wrong about social convention. The chav started screaming violent obscenities. The guy just dipped his head and moved on. I know that if I was hit, I would have screamed back. So that's why I salute the silent stranger on the street, for extreme patience and staying calm; when I wouldn't.