Prior to meeting up with us, Diffident David actually ran around with an entirely different, doggedly heterosexual crowd. Didn't have very much of an opinion on them since his erstwhile friends generally remained clammed up when we were around, either from a misplaced sense of bashfulness or a seething streak of homophobia. Repeatedly trying to convince me that they were remarkably social away from our contaminating presence didn't help in my appraisal.
However recent exchanges between my friends decidedly changed my view of these 'friends' of his.
Paul : So what should we have for dinner?
Kat : Let's have some porridge since it's a heaty day.
Paul : Didn't David want to have some noodles?
David : Oh no, if she wants to have porridge, we can.
Paul : There's nothing wrong with giving your opinion when it's asked for.
David : I don't want her to get angry with me.
Paul : For suggesting somewhere else to eat? Kat, are you angry?
Kat : Why would I be?
Seriously from this brief summary, it's hard to comprehend just how distraught David actually was - especially since I've tried my best to tone down his unwarranted agitation! He was that anxious not to offend Kat - who remained perfectly oblivious to his alarming distress. From his response, one would expect our unassuming Kat to be a hellish termagant - when in real life she is almost the opposite.
Makes me wonder about David though.
Just that hint of overanxiety over a seemingly inconsequential difference of opinion gave me a very negative opinion of his former friends. Forever and always to be dubbed the Petulant. Supposedly such little trivial items - disagreements over dinner? - are enough to have these cantankerous trio all pitch a collective hissy fit. Possibly reason enough to end a decade-long friendship!
As dramatic as they are, perhaps they could even re-enact the entire infamous scene from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils 天龍八部 where a great hero toasts his so-called 'friends' before ending their bonds of brotherhood! All over the sadly negligible fact that he hails from an enemy country which in their intolerant gaze indelibly marks him as a traitor.
No doubt in Chinese we would call these thin-skinned miscreants 小气 which in this particular context means far too easily offended. Well, if you ask me, it must be exhausting trying to gratify such overly sensitive creatures when every little annoyance just might trigger their unreasonable anger. I would be glad enough to toast them all farewell.
Which of course prompted the expected weekly lecture from me on the definition of friends. Poor Diffident David. Honestly if I had such friends like the Petulant, who needs enemies?
However recent exchanges between my friends decidedly changed my view of these 'friends' of his.
Paul : So what should we have for dinner?
Kat : Let's have some porridge since it's a heaty day.
Paul : Didn't David want to have some noodles?
David : Oh no, if she wants to have porridge, we can.
Paul : There's nothing wrong with giving your opinion when it's asked for.
David : I don't want her to get angry with me.
Paul : For suggesting somewhere else to eat? Kat, are you angry?
Kat : Why would I be?
Seriously from this brief summary, it's hard to comprehend just how distraught David actually was - especially since I've tried my best to tone down his unwarranted agitation! He was that anxious not to offend Kat - who remained perfectly oblivious to his alarming distress. From his response, one would expect our unassuming Kat to be a hellish termagant - when in real life she is almost the opposite.
 |
| Yeah, they laugh now but wait till they argue over what to order next! |
Just that hint of overanxiety over a seemingly inconsequential difference of opinion gave me a very negative opinion of his former friends. Forever and always to be dubbed the Petulant. Supposedly such little trivial items - disagreements over dinner? - are enough to have these cantankerous trio all pitch a collective hissy fit. Possibly reason enough to end a decade-long friendship!
As dramatic as they are, perhaps they could even re-enact the entire infamous scene from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils 天龍八部 where a great hero toasts his so-called 'friends' before ending their bonds of brotherhood! All over the sadly negligible fact that he hails from an enemy country which in their intolerant gaze indelibly marks him as a traitor.
No doubt in Chinese we would call these thin-skinned miscreants 小气 which in this particular context means far too easily offended. Well, if you ask me, it must be exhausting trying to gratify such overly sensitive creatures when every little annoyance just might trigger their unreasonable anger. I would be glad enough to toast them all farewell.
Which of course prompted the expected weekly lecture from me on the definition of friends. Poor Diffident David. Honestly if I had such friends like the Petulant, who needs enemies?
1 comment:
Find new friends.
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