When I was a young unruly teenager, I had a more unruly very close friend called Apollo. He would kill me for the narration that follows, but since he lives in America, miles away, am going to take my chances. I will even flatter him in the hope that it soothes his ego. And there I go messing up my plan! Anyway Apollo told me things that have stuck with me for years. Back then his statements seemed mean and at times insane, but there had always been this mad genius side to him. So despite dismissing them as harsh words from a misguided errant teenager, a part of me always knew they could be some wisdom in there.
Over the years, my crazy friend’s statements have been proved right on so many occasions that i at times feel like those guys who thought Einstein was a fool. You see how I’m appeasing his ego, (spoils it again, damn!) Most of the things he used to tell me were his insights on human nature. He seemed to know people quite well and was a good judge of character. Maybe he will now be thinking, “I couldn’t have been such a good judge of character since I made you idiot who’s airing out my dirty linen a friend!”
The one I recall most is the fracas we once had with a guard to the hostels of the girls we dated back then. We were denied entry just because we were not parting with the usual small fee that we had made a habit of paying before being granted permission to sleep over. On that particular day we tried to explain that we were broke and that the “chai” as we referred to the small bribe, should be carried on to the next time we visit. The guy refused and later got physical when he found Apollo trying to climb the security perimeter wall to gain access to his girl’s room. After exchanging vulgarities and almost physically fighting we walked away horny and defeated.
As for Apollo it was even worse as the barbed wire had torn through his favorite shirt and trouser. That’s when he told me one of his wise words about humans, in a nut shell, he said, “never look at someone and feel sorry for them because of their miserable situation or standing in life. A good example being that guard, God knew if he gave him a position of more authority he would have been a tyrant. Look at how he treats us with the little power he has!”
Back then I laughed because I knew that it was the bruised ego and horniness talking, it turns out he was right as i have come to realize. Most people are exactly where they deserve to be, not all but most. Scratch that all, scratch that again, most.
We meet people in our everyday lives in misery and think they need to be rescued, yet some of them for society’s sake need to be exactly where they are. Otherwise, our world would be filled with vile little despots, making everyone’s life miserable. There are those whose lives changed so early because of an incident that they can’t remember and so all that has happened to them ever since, is what most folks refer to commonly as karma. Then there are those that act like they have it all but are so sad on the inside, you wouldn’t want to be them even for a millisecond. Hence why you shouldn’t envy everyone that seems to be doing better than you.
There are those who don’t know who they are, because they have spent a huge part of their lives pretending or acting like others and thus lost track of their real selves. A few people can never be understood because they’re so damaged and conflicted, so with them you have to expect the unexpected. They’re like a ticking time bomb. There are those who seem to be born in the wrong life time, these never fit in and will forever feel disillusioned. In fact they’re shocked at how normal we think we are.
I for one I’m glad many humans pretend, they spare us much. I wouldn’t want to. Few can be truly themselves and am grateful for the masks they wear because this would have been truly an ugly world if everyone was to reveal their true selves. Some would light up our world obviously, but these are the very few among the mask wearers. So keep those masks on, because some of you really need them. For the very few you’re truly diamonds hidden in mud, be brave and let out the glow.
I hope you don’t assume that I don’t realize that back then we were spoilt little brats and the guard was well within his rights. It also shouldn’t be lost on you that we were best buddies with the guard when we had the “chai.”
Though since then I have grownup and been in or observed many situations where guards, receptionists, clerks, nurses e.t.c have abused their power. So the next time you see someone with a crappy job acting all bossy, just picture them with a better one with more authority and then you will understand why God with His infinite wisdom never gave them more. The best way to ever know the real character of a person, is to observe them when they have nothing and when they have everything. If they are the same person, then that’s a genuine person.
Otherwise, misery and comfort usually will bring out different sides to someone. Hence why the poor seem so humble and the rich so arrogant. However it’s very possible that even the humble poor person, could be as mean as the rich guy. They are all wearing masks that help them survive. Perception is everything. The rich will explain it away as what he has to do to command fear, to get things done. The poor are humble because they can’t afford to be arrogant. You’re better served as a poor person to evoke empathy in others because sympathy can make people do things for you that they wouldn’t have done otherwise. I guess you can never know how genuine one is till tables are turned, you have to see one and both extremes. Genuine humans are really few and very hard to find that’s why out of many friends few are ever genuine. Most of us just wear human masks.
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