Say “No” To Silence.
What does it mean to be silent? Ever wonder why, even when they know it’s inappropriate in this particular context, so many individuals feel they must remain silent? I’m referring especially about “Nepal” here. I’m going to tell you a fairly frequent, although nonsensical, anecdote that I saw today. While I was riding the bus, I noticed that in Nepal, the seats in the front two rows, after the driver, are designated for women. The order of priority is as follows: older women, women with children, and any other regular woman. I was seated by the window in the first row.”A young man approached and sat next to me, although there were many other available seats. Noticing that it was designated as a women’s seat, indicated clearly on the upper part of the window, I politely informed him, ‘Excuse me, this is a women’s seat. Would you mind relocating, as it may inconvenience you when a woman arrives?’ He replied, ‘Yes, yes. I’ll move when they come.’ I responded, ‘Sure, please do it’ “
“After several stops, two women boarded the bus, one with a toddler.She began looking for a seat, but all of them were already taken.
The significant issue with public transportation in our country is the treatment of passengers merely as revenue sources, often neglecting to provide even the basic level of service. When boarding passengers onto the bus, they halt at the bus stop for an extended period, allowing for maximum occupancy, yet when it comes time for passengers to disembark, insufficient time is allocated, leading to potential safety hazards. This situation was exemplified when two women, one accompanied by a child who appeared to be under two years old, encountered difficulty finding seating.The sudden movement of the bus caused the lady with the child to lose her balance. I politely requested the boy seated next to me to offer his seat to the lady, considering her situation with the child. Regrettably, the boy responded by claiming there were no available seats elsewhere, implying a reluctance to offer his seat.
I struggle with interpersonal communication, and I’m actively working to improve this weakness. When the situation arose on the bus, I hoped someone would speak up on behalf of the lady, but to my disappointment, everyone remained silent. My concern for her grew, prompting me to offer my seat. As I stood up to give her my window seat, the boy sitting nearby moved over to it with a dismissive “uff” sound. My frustration reached its peak, and I confronted the boy, who appeared younger than me, with my previous request to vacate the seat for a lady when there were ample empty seats available. I reminded him of his assurance to move once passengers boarded the bus. “Are you not aware that she is accompanied by a child and it can be very difficult for her to balance herself?” The boy remained silent, mirroring the response of the other passengers, while the lady continued to reassure me, saying, “Okay sister, it happens.” “It happens?” I couldn’t fathom why no one was willing to acknowledge or address the situation simply because “it happens.”
I want to clarify that I’m not suggesting that all boys behave similarly. There are numerous boys and men who are mindful of such small yet significant and logical considerations. I also acknowledge that this behavior reflects a form of inequality among men. Personally, I make it a point to offer my seat, even if it’s designated for women, to any older or disabled person, irrespective of their gender (not that I wish to boast about it😋).I perceive it as my duty, in line with our culture and manners, to assist those in need to the best of my ability. It saddens me deeply to learn that such occurrences are commonplace on buses, as mentioned by the lady. While I have encountered similar situations in the past, where some individuals have voiced their opposition, hearing the lady’s resigned acceptance with “it’s okay” and “it happens” leaves a disheartening impression. It begs the question: why does no one speak out against such behavior? Just because it didn’t happen to you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak up about it for others.
Shoutout to those men and women who are aware of their responsibilities as citizens. I hope that the boy may learn a few lessons from this incident. Let’s hope that people start to realize that staying silent all the time is not okay, as it can lead to becoming a pushover, perpetuating a cycle of inaction.
In the end, I found myself quite shocked by my own reaction at that moment. While I may not consider myself a righteous speaker, I did muster the courage to stand up to that boy and perhaps, in some small way, make him realize his error in the situation. I can’t say that I’m proud of my actions, but I can acknowledge that they helped me to speak up a little more and to become a better person than I was yesterday.
