I was going to write something here about the quiet Easter I've had and how much I enjoyed the opportunity and time to reflect, contemplate, and complete a few undemanding activities without the constant intrusion of obligations, commitments and externally imposed timetables. It can of course be great fun to take a trip at this time of year, as the weather is usually good and it's often the last bit of warmth and prolonged sunshine we get before the chillier days and grey skies set in. Still there's something pleasant about not joining in the lemming like exodus from the suburbs with all its attendant traffic hassles, rush and bustle. Then, I thought maybe this just makes me sound like a boring old recluse, extolling the joys of peace and quiet while secretly jealous of everyone else out there having a good time. So forget that.
We've all heard about various types of rages in recent times ... road rage, phone rage, shopping rage, etc. and perhaps been unfortunate enough to be victims of some belligerant person who thinks the best way to deal with the stress and frustration of their life is to take it out on someone else. If this development is indeed a symptom of the inability of 21st century man to deal sanely with the challenges of the world, then it's a very regrettable reflection on society. There are clearly lots of things in life which are worthy of rage - war, cruelty to animals, child abuse, domestic violence ... the list is a long and sorrowful one. But personally I don't believe there's a lot of justification for aggression against someone who has simply inadvertently inconvenienced you.
It happened to me the other day. I was walking my dogs down a street near my home, past a large ostentatious house, while a man with a rather vicious looking Alsation was approaching from the opposite direction. As he neared me he yelled out "Don't let your bloody dogs piss on my plants if you don't mind." I hadn't noticed that they had, but as Fergus tends to lift his leg at almost every vertical object we pass, it wasn't a great surprise to me that perhaps he had dribbled on a piece of shrubbery. The man continued, "Yes, this IS my house," which by now I'd gathered, and turned into the drive with his unpleasant looking dog.
A number of retorts came to mind, such as "Would you like me to put a nappy on them?"; "Think yourself lucky it was only number one's", "I suppose your dog doesn't piss anywhere."
The latter would probably in fact be true as the poor dog was probably completely anally and urinally retentive, living in constant fear of punishment for even breathing.
However having had this demonstration of rudeness and completely unwarranted aggression, I thought it better not to incite any further chastisement, given that this bloke looked just the sort to set his dog on mine and stand back and enjoy the sport. So I kept silent but was left feeling that this incident had marred what was otherwise an enjoyable activity for both me and my dogs.
What this man gained from his outburst, I can't imagine. He is obviously under a great burden of stress and anxiety for whatever reason, although can't be doing too badly considering the size and grandeur of his house.
It all seems so futile and pointless though, to behave this way. As with other such displays of misplaced anger, all the perpetrator does, if they only realised, is make a public exhibition of the total ugliness of their character.
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