In front of me was a young woman, probably in her early twenties. She was wearing black tights, white runners and a white coloured sports top. She had brown hair and blonde streaks, and was talking on her iphone. She was not quiet. It was hard not to hear every word in her conversation. A conversation that was not pleasant. I didn't want to hear it.
She was obviously talking to a work colleague. They were complaining about a third colleague, maybe a manager.
Lots of people don't like their managers, and many speak ill of them. Not many use such language to describe them in public. It was an appalling conversation. I felt every word penetrate my ear and burn. With every word I felt pain. No human being should be described in such a way, and one should be subjected to such a conversation in a public place. The tram was no place for this.
I leaned slightly over and said "excuse me, do you think we should all be hearing your conversation?"
"wait a minute" she said to her phone partner. "there is a lady here that doesn't want me to talk"
She didn't see a reason for my objection, as if it was her right to speak as loudly as she wanted, and she certainly didn't see anything wrong with the conversation itself.
"I second that" said another woman a few meters down the tram, then another agreed and a few other passengers were now smiling and nodding. I felt encouraged.
"well what do you suggest I do" she asked me sarcastically
"speak lower" I responded "stop talking on the phone, get off the tram"
"there is another one that agrees" she continued to her friend on the phone "and she's fat, you want me to put you on loud speaker? hang on..." she was continuing, other people on the tram were responding.
I stood up "I don't have to listen to this we're obviously not all civilised here" I moved the another section of the tram, put my ipod in my ears, turned it up and ignored the rest of the world.
The other passengers were continuing with the argument. The culprit continued to behave in the most appalling way insulting anyone that spoke to here and her phone partner, now on speaker, joined in. They behaved as if it was their right to behave this way.
I listened to my music.
The tram reached my stop.
I stood up. As I walked towards the door I noticed three inspectors sitting by the door. The large men in inspector uniforms were completely ignoring the events that had still been continuing on the tram.
I dismounted the tram with three thoughts: firstly that most people are decent. Most passengers were disturbed by the events and most, especially the women, were prepared to say something despite the very real possibility that they would become targets of this appalling behaviour. Secondly, that some people don't deserve the lives and opportunities they have, but still carry on in their lives as though they were right and they have the right to be abusive. They will probably not be able to continue in this way for long, because soon enough someone even more abusive will stand in their way.
The third thought supported an observation that I'd had for a long time. People in small positions of authority are not deserving of those positions. Policy officers, parking inspectors, ticket inspectors are the like are not deserving of the respect some portions of society afford them. Too often they deserve worse treatment than the 'culprits' that the system gives them power over.
