The man came just a few minutes ago to spray poison on everything we own.
Apparently it's not his job to move things out of the way as he does his part to keep this society rolling by performing yet another the mindless and useless task.
This is probably the 4th or 5th time I've witnessed the spraying of poison since we've been here. The poison (which I promise you is horribly unsafe for humans to be near) is applied liberally everywhere a wall meets a floor. And I mean everywhere. But there is no regard given as to whether there are objects -towels, shoes, magazines, furniture, drapes, electronics, whatever- in the way. They just spray away, mindlessly following the line of the wall along the floor. Like a machine.
All of this moves past a mild irritant to a blood pressure raising incident when one takes into consideration how the buildings are constructed. The floor is marble mounted directly on concrete. The walls are brick covered in a smooth concrete skin. There are no spaces anywhere for anything to live. Spraying that shit on the floor is only poisoning the human inhabitants of the house. The electrical outlets or plumbing? Not only are the wiring and pipes chiseled out of the concrete and then immediately filled over, but the outlets are all set about 3 feet from the ground. So even if there were roaches living in my outlets, they are safely out of harms way.
So you might ask why I do not do anything to stop this. Because like most things I witness here, I am always caught like a deer in the headlights. As though I am watching it on a television screen and I have no way to influence the outcome. Most who know me know that I'm not necessarily a quick thinker to begin with. But I am exceptionally dumbfounded when required to think on my feet here.
But the real puzzler is this: The times we have seen roaches or mouse droppings, they are in the spaces well off the floor- cabinets, cupboards, false ceilings- but the "exterminators" have NEVER sprayed that crap in any of these spots.
I put "exterminator" in quotes because like most jobs here, one does not actually need to be trained in any way to perform it. Someone who has never cut wood is no more a “carpenter” than that guy whose only tools are a hammer and chisel is a “plumber”.
If I sound unnecessarily bitter, it's because I am. But I have come to a decision regarding this blog, and indeed my whole life here in India. I am tired of trying to remain positive. I'm done giving people the benefit of the doubt. I'm done trying not to sound like I don't appreciate my experiences here.
I do appreciate the fact that I get to experience a foreign culture, and that not everyone can have the benefit of common sense. But no longer will I hold my tongue when said culture repulses me in some way. No longer will I refrain from calling a fucking idiot a fucking idiot.
Watch out world. There’s a new Salim on the block, and he hates you.
