Have you ever wondered how
life evolved into what it is today? I have and I don't mean the science of
evolution - this is complex. What I do mean is how the Human Race ever managed
to exist at all. Many species have become extinct over the millions of
millennia for all sorts of proposed reasons. None of this is known, but
reasoned and intelligent speculation does provide some possible answers.
So it
is with a sense of exasperation that some situations arrive. Some people seem
to thrive on confrontation and I wonder if they ever get more than they bargain
for. It's also an observation that I have made over many years that people do
seem to seek out partners of a similar character type to themselves.
Alternatively, this could be that the dominant personality affects the more
submissive partner and so there ends up a pair of apparently like-minded
individuals. If this unit procreates, it makes me wonder what might be
produced. The genetic issue here creates some interesting possibilities. Is
personality entirely genetic or is it just susceptible to influence? If the
attitude had been different then the outcome would almost certainly have been
more rewarding than it was.
"You
kicked me. You deliberately kicked me."
Such a
comment, an overt accusation, is not designed to resolve a situation. Well, I
ask you, would you be surprised to learn that this situation didn't get any
better? What would have happened if the comment was simply: "you knocked
me" or something like that. I could then have responded by attaching an
apology to my answer whether I did as suggested or not. It happens and it has
happened to me on occasions, but there is definitely a difference between an
unintentional light contact and a deliberate strike. The situation could have
almost certainly have passed with no further comment. I am one to smooth over a
rough patch if possible. But, one has to meet like with like if the needs
demand it. They did. Such an indignant statement of perceived fact delivered in
such an arrogant manner is not designed to question circumstances, rather a
statement implying "I'm right, you're wrong".
It's
difficult to know what sort of reply this type of person seeks anyway unless
it's total submission. Not much chance of that. Makes me think of the
snowball's chances of an existence in Hell. My assessment is that some people
simply like confrontation. They like to make a situation more that it ever
should be to create attention. And then be right in the middle of it. This
woman got that and waving her red flag at me certainly got the attention she so
desperately craved. I could have backed down and in some situations this would
be the correct action to take.
The
failure to detect a monaural capability did compromise this woman's pompous
self-delusion of her ability to assess character. Character assassination
maybe, and she certainly gave an appearance of being well versed in that
procedure, but certainly not an understanding of more complex subjects. So not
all that perceptive after all - even though she claimed to be able to judge
character so well only after a few moments. Offensive attitude. Nasty. One does
have pride though and this situation was one that required a different
approach. I'd see where it led.
It
certainly went quickly to a focus as more people got themselves involved. I
can't see that anybody got more or less than they should have expected. In
fact, it is quite amusing to witness how quickly people can start digging
themselves into a hole and then keep on digging so making it deeper. I provided
some rope for them to hang themselves with as well! That was probably unfair of
me to have done this, but I was well and truly annoyed, more because my
training session had been interrupted than anything else and this I do not take
lightly. To have my focus wrenched away from its track, is never a good idea.
The escalation of events involved me firstly in making some comment to nobody
in particular. Some comment directed into the air. Mouthed a profanity,
apparently. I used an expletive or two. I probably did that though I am
surprised it was so few, but I suppose sensitivities do get bruised. For some
people this is easier than for others. Not only did I stand accused of assault,
but allegations then started to hit the air that I had performed this sort of
action before. Fascinating.
The
supervisor supported this woman without ascertaining anything beforehand. The
supportive claims that this was not the first time I had behaved in this manner
were made in the presence of this woman, compounding my alleged guilt before
any investigation. This woman who had just claimed that there have been
comments made in the women's shower about my alleged violence. Well, so she
said. I couldn't be sure who was actually supporting whom. There was no attempt
to find out the accuracy or veracity of these serious allegations. More reason
to provide hard evidence of these alleged attacks. It is with no doubt that
this was the first I'd ever heard of such incidents. The magician brings his
rabbit from the hat at the right moment for effect. Good magicians don't tell
lies. They don't have to. They'd not survive as magicians if they did. They
create illusions to make suggestions. They confuse and mislead using subtlety
and cleverness. They are smart, not crude.
So, I
asked that the plaintiffs be eventually produced accompanied by a written
complaint as certainly such allegations have to be substantiated. Any civilized
justice system at least allows the accused a chance to defend himself. So, I
allowed it to be moved on. I left when asked to do so. Possibly, my leaving
signalled an end to the matter. Actually, it was more like the beginnings of
something else.
A day
or so later I was walking out of the same facility when I felt a bump on my
shoulder. Instantly, I stopped and turned to ask if the person was hurt. I
wasn’t and had hardly felt it, though I recognised the contact. Then I saw who
it was. The partner of the aggrieved woman. The evidence suggested that these
two had been recently married and it seemed to me that his loyalty was being
tested. Either that or they are truly the same type of personality. No
controlling elements and so a partnership destined to a future of confrontation
and agony.
"Not
nice, is it?" the woman said, presumably alluding to the alleged strike I
had made in the original incident.
Clearly,
the assault was deliberate and pre-planned. The evidence for this was that the
woman was walking ahead and to the right of the man and was so unsighted, but
nevertheless knew what had happened without seeing the incident. So goes the
holier-than-thou attitude. Being in the absolute right. To have freedom to
exact whatever vengeful attack is considered appropriate. Right and just
whether right or wrong. The hole was getting deeper.
It
transpired that they were going into the facility to lodge a formal, written
complaint as I had expected, but to sabotage their own case before they had
made it was unexpected. I could not envisage a rational person doing this.
Although the woman who was lodging the complaint did not make this unprovoked
assault on me, she remains absolutely culpable by being party to the conspiracy
to do so.
"I
have witnesses," the woman bleated presumably alluding to the original
incident.
Witnesses
to what in particular can only be imagined. The argument after the alleged "you kicked
me" maybe, but then this is just the aftermath and means nothing. Many
people were witness to this. Witnesses are required who saw the actual incident
alleged. I was informed in a menacing tone: "my wife's pregnant". I
answered with "so?" as I failed to see how this information affected
the situation other than a clear implication that if I had known then I
wouldn't have acted as alleged. Confrontation again. This time mixed with overt
threats to "watch your back" and being called "weirdo" and
"piss off". It's so peculiar that such things were said to me. Ironic
indeed that I was being perceived as the "weirdo" and that it should
be me that must "watch your back". The very choice of words while
walking away was quite suggestive. I asked if this should be taken as a threat.
No reply. I would have said something simply like "watch out" as this
defines an indefinite timescale and no implication of sneaking up from the
rear. And I would not say this while moving away from my target. "Watch
your back" was said again, and once more I asked if this was a threat.
Still no answer to that. If only people were to find out a little more before
taking such contentious action. To check out that their own capability is
adequate. But then bluff couldn't work. Learning to read body language is time well
spent as there is less chance of misinterpretation.
This
woman offered an opinion that I am "an idiot", which she obviously
based on absolutely nothing. Amazing that someone could possibly sum up another
in moments. Smart? Not really. When I implied that she must be clairvoyant
since she can offer such an uninformed opinion, she made it clear she wouldn't
want to find out more. This was a clear admission that she knew nothing about
me, yet still felt qualified to assert such slanderous comments.
The hole
was getting deeper.
This
arrogant and overblown ego certainly matches the attitude displayed and adds to
the growing picture I have of eventual disaster for these two. I couldn't care
less, but ironically, it would suggest a short-term commitment to each other
that is appropriately lit with a short fuse. Eventually, the explosion is
inevitable and the confrontation is then inward. This was simply an observation
I had made.
However,
my exasperation is for the gene pool. What sort of organism will we become with
this type of change on the cards. I wonder about the gene pool and where the
Human Race is going, but evolution theories tell us that disadvantageous traits
are eventually weeded out.
I
don't doubt that this could have all been handled differently. It could have
all been resolved very quickly at the beginning if a confrontation had been
averted. I could have responded differently, but a red rag is always a red rag.
Why should I have given satisfaction to such a crass attitude?
I had
little interest in pursuing something so trivial and essentially pathetic as
this. I find life more interesting and try to create a better society and not
to feed the egos of those determined to destroy it. A very simple choice could
be made here: to step forward over the edge or step back to safety and the
domain of common sense. Geronimo advocated retreat if the situation demanded
it. Better to live to fight another day than perish that very day. There is too
much misery around us to be concerned with peacock parades such as this. When
people start digging themselves into their holes they must do it alone. They
must play their games by themselves as the architects of their own destiny.
Anybody who listens to rumour is contemptible and those who take ill-considered
action are foolish. It is wiser to rise above such things. The best action to
take is none at all.
© Mark Glanfield 2005, Rev 2
2007 (May)