Living immersed in a culture other than one's own constantly challenges one's perceptions of what is socially acceptable. Sometimes something happens that is so COMPLETELY off the charts in terms of what you know that you are at a complete loss as to how to react.
Such was the case on the train to Varanasi. The eight of us were playing cards, wiling away the time until we arrived at our destination. I was absently watching the wife of the family sitting next to us. As I watched, she shifted her weight onto her right butt cheek to face our direction, lifted her left butt cheek into the air and let out a steam-train-like fart that lasted for at least five seconds and would have made even the most well practised and enthusiastic teenage boy proud.
For a good thirty seconds we stared at each other in silence, completely dumfounded that such a little lady in such a pretty sari could possibly be responsible for the noise to which we had just been subjected. After our aghast silence we all collapsed into fits of giggles not knowing how else to react.
The family looked at us a little confused as if to say "whAAAATTttt???"
Different strokes.
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3 comments:
I think you need to urgently revisit a few 'Charles Chaplin ' films of yore immediately. Charlie has sarcasticaly but silently protrayed how releasing air from the posterior can be a class issue in England in early 20th Century.
In late 20th Century in my travel across 17 countries, I have come across many unwashed, smelling, drunk and homeless white men and on occassion white women in bus or train who wouldn't even think twice before vitiating the air with loud noises.
I do not think its culture, its class issue across the world. Thats as far as different strokes is concerned.
Its the same here.
However as as an adaptive, assimilative and a matured Indian, I have arrived at the decision that nothing is right or wrong or improper & proper, when it comes to body facts.
Whatever body wants to purge should be let out...without feeling guilty.Every human does it.
Some are sneaky, some are silent, some are holding back, some are loud. No one better or superior, except its a matter of perception.
If some one blows and clears his nose, how is it better than a cakey man or perfumed women who blows it into his / her handkerchief and carries it in his pocket or her bag !
Yuck....
Don't be silly old boy...Its a matter of perception again.
Keep expanding the boundaries of your mind and rise above being judgmental.
Cheers...happy expansion.
I feel like you are insinuating that I am small minded and judgemental which I take exception to.
Everything is not west vs. the rest as you seem to think. I am merely commenting on my experiences in a foreign culture as someone who has grown up with South African norms and customs. Rather than it being right or wrong I am referring to what I do and do not know.
If you find this offensive stop reading it.
hey anon - don't be such a self-righteous dick. i bet you wouldn't be so tolerant of "bodily purges" if someone shat on your shoes.
Fact is, cultural differences like attitudes to farting vary across cultures, and to outsiders, customs and habits can be amusing and seem strange. Relating such tales for their amusement is not judgmental - it's interesting to those of us who do things differently. It's a genre of travel writing that's been accepted and popular since Marco Polo, and Lou's writing makes for interesting reading.
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