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Eating In Public’s Bad Manners, Please!
MY THOUGHTS ON SUNDAY with CHARLES CHISALA
SOME time last year I wrote under this very column about the bad habit of shouting when talking on a mobile phone in public places, especially on public passenger buses.
I have seen that some of you have changed and have since been using your phones in a more civilised manner.
But I have some serious business to settle with those who have turned mini buses into dining rooms or restaurants.
In English there is what is called etiquette. This is simply a set of customs and rules for polite behaviour in the presence of or towards other people.
Etiquette becomes even more important when you are in the presence of strangers or people who are not closely related to you.
Of course I am not saying that you should not eat when you are away from home. You have every right to eat whatever you wish any time. It is the place where you do the eating that matters.
Some people feel offended to see someone they are not familiar with eating in their presence in a public place.
I have been using public transport for some days now after the road tax, certificate of fitness and insurance of my vehicle expired at the same time.
While travelling on these small Toyota Hiace public passenger buses, which we used to call utubafwa (bathtubs) in Kitwe, to and from Lusaka West, I have had the misfortune of sitting next to some ‘free eating’ passengers.
One day I boarded one of those blue-and-white contraptions, most of which are actually delivery panel vans modified to carry passengers. I sat next to a man who was on the left end of the improvised seat.
He was sitting next to the window and perspiring profusely despite the weather being relatively cool that particular afternoon.
After sliding the window, he called a hawker who was carrying assorted merchandise on his shoulder. The man asked the hawker the price of Tango drink. After hearing the price and judging that it was affordable, he fished out a Kwacha note and proffered it to the peddler for a bottle.
By then the bus had already joined Mumbwa road and was heading towards Garden House. Four of us were squeezed on a seat meant for three people, so the man had some difficulty handling the drink.
After managing to remove the cap from the bottle, he threw back his head and started gulping down its green contents as if his life depended on them. As the drink made its way down his throat, it produced audible rumbling sounds.
The man’s throat moved up and down as he swallowed the liquid. I noticed that some people were watching him with growing interest. A number of the passengers were far from amused and were mumbling and murmuring in disapproval.
Unaware of the attention he was attracting from the other passengers, the man even closed his eyes as he sucked at the bottle like an infant. I realised that he was not just quenching thirst. He had been starving.
By the time the bus was moving past Keembe Meats, the bottle was as empty as if it had never contained anything. There were conspiratorial smiles and grins on the faces of the ‘spectators’.
The bus conductor, who had also been keenly watching the man, complimented him for the amazing speed with which he had emptied the bottle, triggering giggles and laughter across the bus.
At the first Engen filling station, the driver made a stop-over to refuel. Again the man called a hawker and bought a fat cream doughnut. There were chuckles and not few giggles as the other passengers anticipated yet another ‘feast’.
After pulling back the plastic wrapper, he eyed the doughnut hungrily as if it was a living thing before digging his yellow teeth into the brown delicacy. The way he devoured the poor thing, you would think he had not had a meal for weeks!
The munch, munch, chaku chaku, kubyu, kubyu could be heard three seats away as lump after whole lump of the doughnut raced down his overworked throat. I have not seen a person enjoy a doughnut like that in years, I can assure you.
After wolfing down the last chunk, which almost choked him to the amusement of the spectators, the unperturbed ‘diner’ launched into the concluding course of his ‘meal’; he started licking his fingers to ensure no smudge of the sweet cream escaped his roving tongue.
He then sighed gratefully.
From the corner of my eye, I spied out a tear of appreciation rolling down his left cheek without his knowledge. He must have been hungry indeed!
After he had disembarked from the bus at the White Wall Fence stop, the man became the topic of a lively discussion.
“As if his wife does not feed him at home,” one woman said, clapping her hands in indignation. There was a chorus of support from the other women.
But one man protested. He said the mobile ‘diner’ should be forgiven because he must have been very hungry.
The women did not agree with him. By the time I was disembarking from the bus, the debate was still raging.
Two days later, I was in for yet another eating spectacle on another mini bus. The source of the entertainment was a woman on the front seat-probably a marketeer from Soweto Market. she was clutching a bulging Ukwa bag in her arms.
As the bus cruised past Zamanita, she thrust a hand into the bag and ‘fished’ out a big smoked sausage. She then ‘attacked’ it viciously as if it had offended her. Four good bites were enough to end the show!
The woman had been so engrossed in her little ‘feast’ that she had missed all the angry looks and frowns of disapproval on the faces of her fellow passengers, especially fellow women.
After swallowing the last piece of the sausage and licking her lips in appreciation like a satisfied lioness after a kill, her right hand disappeared into the Ukwa bag again. This time around, the ‘prize’ was a huge fritter almost the size of my fist.
The woman deftly transferred the fritter to her left hand and, without scruples, pinched off a generous portion with her right hand and literally threw it into the back of her mouth.
In no time she was rubbing her oily hands together. It was over! I saw a couple of heads shaking in disbelief.
Do you also eat in public like that without any shame?
Comments: [email protected]
Posted by Editor
on June 16, 2013. Filed under LIFE & STYLE, STYLE.
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doubleble
June 16, 2013 at 7:21 am
I think You are too judgmental, what if de one eating was on medication
ngwema
June 16, 2013 at 7:28 am
Charles,you have cracked my ribs,you are a comedian!
CACINE
June 18, 2013 at 11:15 am
I think this guy is a commedian too. Ansekesha sana.
CALLED WISE
June 16, 2013 at 8:18 am
THIS REMINDS ME OF WHAT I WITNESSED IN DR CONGO IN 1998.FOREIGN SOLDIERS WHO BACKED THE LATE LAURENT KABILA TO UPROOT MOBUTU
CAME UP WITH A LAW TO PUNISH WHOEVER FOUND EATING ON THE ROAD.NOT ONLY THAT; THEY WERE ALSO GRABBING GIRLS FROM THEIR BOYFRIENDS WHEN FOUND STANDING IDLE OR WALKING LATE HOURS.
YENZEKO baaaaaadiiiiiiiiii MULE UMFWAKO FYE.
OLD, YOUNG, MALE, FEMALE NO ONE WAS SPARED; IF YOU ARE CAUGHT THEY MAKE YOU LAY DOWN AND KWAPULA YOU.
PEOPLE STOPPED EATING MU MA RODI TILL THOSE BRUTAL GUYS LEFT THE COUNTRY.
SOME HABITS ARE HERE TO STAY AND ONE OF THEM
“EATING IN PUBLIC”
da bishop
June 16, 2013 at 8:40 am
charles you have made my day! I woke up feeling gloomy this morning but after reading your article i am delighted. I even forgot about the theme of the topic because i was just enjoying how the story was being narrated. I suggest you get a regular column in one of the publications to tell such stories. Please keep it up you are a genius.
Democracy
June 16, 2013 at 8:51 am
its not really health to eat in pubic more especially in public transport vans and buses.
CACINE
June 18, 2013 at 11:16 am
What about in Planes?
CALLED WISE
June 16, 2013 at 8:53 am
WE ZAMBIANS ARE KNOWN AS PEACEFUL PEOPLE AND THAT IS A RARE ATTRIBUTE WE NEED TO KEEP AND CHERISH ALWAYS.
WE ARE ALSO KNOWN A FAST – THINKERS JUST AS ONE OF OUR OWN PROVED IT:
THIS HAPPENED A MONTH AGO IN LUSAKA AT THE TAKE-AWAY LOCATED IN CAIRO ROAD JUST BEFORE PERMANENT HOUSE.
OUR BELOVED BROTHER EMMANUEL MWANSA PHIRI (NAME COULDN’T BE WITHHELD)WENT THERE TO HAVE HIS LUNCH.
A WHITE MAN SITTING BY HIS SIDE WHILE EATING SOME BANANAS NOTICED THAT MWANSA KEPT ON CHEWING BONES AFTER EATING 3 SAUSAGES AND 4 BIG PIECES OF CHICKEN.
* WHITE MAN:”Euh…SIR, IF YOU EAT EVEN BONES, TELL ME WHAT DO DOGS EAT?”
BA PHIRI LOOKED AT HIM FOR A SECOND THEN SAID:
“Euh….uummm…. THEY EAT BANANAS!
moir
June 18, 2013 at 3:33 pm
good one!
Pinkie
June 18, 2013 at 4:49 pm
LOL!!!! yaba!!!!!!!!!!! You have made my day sure fye…..
wazanga
June 16, 2013 at 10:01 am
good story and advice to you public eaters
kelvin
June 16, 2013 at 11:02 am
1
yo opinion may b write but the qustion i may ask,is ,FROM LUSAKA TO NAKONDE ROUGHFULY ITS ABT 12HRS JONY,ARE U TELING ME U SHULD NOT EAT NO DRINK UNTIL U RICH,IN CASE U DIDNT NO THE BUS STARTS OFF AT 14HRS RICHING NAKONDE AROUND 05HRS THE NXT DAY,CANT U EAT,
2
FROM LSK TO DAR ES SALAAM ITS A 36HRS JOUNY
3
LSK TO JOBEG ITS ABT 15HRS JOUNY,
NW ARE U SAYNG WE SHULD NOT EAT
chiyenda
June 16, 2013 at 11:05 am
Charles, you have made my day. You are a very good writer; looking at the way you have narrated the story. One can’t afford to leave it without finishing. Please write again. Ba tumfweko please continue publishing such educative and entertaining stories.
Mathatha
June 16, 2013 at 11:12 am
Let be deemed to be a chargeable public nuisance.
mojo
June 16, 2013 at 11:42 am
Icisungu cena wali caya,tumfweko should employ you as thier chief editor.Your writing was well punctuated and the grammar amazingly good.The flow of the story so inticing.
ep
June 16, 2013 at 12:21 pm
No sense in the story.mulesalako ifyakulemba
Kirkland
June 16, 2013 at 1:03 pm
ep. Spot on. Ba Charles is not widely travelled. In a fast paced environment it’s very normal for people to eat whilst walking, on a bus or train. Should someone starve just because some chap thinks its bad manners to eat in public? If this irritates you Charles, be responsible enough and pay your road tax, insurance and fitness on time! That way you will not only be a responsible citizen but also keep your silly opinions to yourself.
zwangendabah
June 16, 2013 at 12:50 pm
Iwe charles!! huh spare my ribs please. That’s true zed for you. But the most annoying is sitting to a drunken person. Kusabaila and tunda station too much.
Mbala corner
June 16, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Chikala uyu tale landafye ine time naishile ku lusaka. Ok taishiba @ ku mbala takwaba i cant blem you boi.
vundu
June 16, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Kelvin has asked on behalf of Zambians, more especially those of us who cannot afford a personal car to take us long distances with no one to laugh at us when eating. Answer Kelvin back.
Anyway maybe it’s also subsidy.
Democrat
June 16, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Good composition.
KeKe
June 16, 2013 at 7:13 pm
Those disputing to this columnare irresponsible id..ts, u eat in buses course mwalya lusha abana benu inpanya bafikala lyonse umusalu-baka kunyengela abakashi pa matumbo yankoko.
One coin
June 16, 2013 at 8:05 pm
charles you setting me
chama febby
June 16, 2013 at 9:56 pm
Ba chale iyo mwalanda
Hansa
June 16, 2013 at 10:59 pm
Well written article. Really funny too! Keep writing your stories and I’ll keep reading them. Etiquette and having a sense of occasion are important
Etiquette
June 16, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Those who want all to conform are dictators. If someone wants to eat let them, as long as they aren’t eating sh*t
Ricoche
June 17, 2013 at 1:15 am
What a nice written article.
Enjoyed reading every bit.
The author has brought to mind the lstone/lusaka trip on mazhandu were most people buy chicken or sausage and chips at the golden pillow.
i wonder how many of us remember to wash our hands or even notice that someone may be watching while you munch. Lets not even start on the boiled egg eaters….lol!
tnp
June 17, 2013 at 6:21 am
dude u are a very good writter i liked the flow of english wali kwata isikulu, nice story
truthful
June 17, 2013 at 8:44 am
balekeni balye-ninshi kanshi!
Temitop
June 17, 2013 at 10:05 am
i totally agree with you. ninshi ni nsala yashani umfwile,from town to matero one eats four bananas havana cola and fleeters. how i get irritated. that is one of the reasons am getting a car, no more buses
love
June 17, 2013 at 10:09 am
i may not agree with your story but the english and way it came out is very good
Sara
June 17, 2013 at 11:19 am
All this points to lack of education. If one is learned; will know how to conduct him/herself in public. This applies to eating in public too. Even the way one chews and swallows will portray one’s behavior. Upbringing also matters in such conducts. So if you come across such type of people, just accept them and understand – for you cannot change them. To them life is like that, they do not mind. They are comfortable with that.
truthful
June 17, 2013 at 11:36 am
imwe-those who are irritated with people eating everywhere-mulesendafye impiya waumfwa insala washita. buy cars and stop using public transport. you have to allow for diversity,we can be on the same bus but you may not know that ive been travelling for hours without eating,we cant all be the same bane.
let people eat-let them live pliz. balekeni mwebantu twapapata-shiteni imyotoka-ama problems ubwingi pa zed ukwisalembapofye ifi?
petty!
Billionaire
June 17, 2013 at 4:10 pm
BA author lisaka baad
dz
June 17, 2013 at 4:36 pm
U are a good writer, though the story is fabricated
continual writing more of these stories..
Narrant
June 18, 2013 at 4:17 am
Just keep quite and mind your own business if you have nothing to say.People everywhere eat wherever they maybe. How many times have we seen well- dressed men and women on the high streets of western cities chewing at their fish and chips,etc, without anyone paying any attention to them?
kinky
June 18, 2013 at 9:57 am
this has made my day. pwhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
isaac
June 18, 2013 at 11:01 am
Charles the thing i like about you is the ability to articulate and analyse your grammer.For me am not in so much into commenting about eating in public though myself my princilpes do not allow me to eat anything in public. That is a thing my conscience tells me beyond any reasonable doubt that it is wrong.Nevertheless,Charles you’re a very good writer i think you can get advantage of your skills to write a book which i think would be an itersting book to read never ending amusement as one goes through reading your book . Stay blessed.
Cumbu Munshololwa SC
June 18, 2013 at 1:19 pm
Charles you need to join the african writers’ series. You are very imaginative. Good parable.
MWIMWI
June 18, 2013 at 1:20 pm
I LOVE U ALL U HAVE MADE MY DAY CHARLES KIP IT UP MY DEAR.
lin
June 18, 2013 at 2:11 pm
well put mr charles.i av enjoyed your article.pliz keep it up.
Yaba
June 18, 2013 at 2:28 pm
Charles u ar a joker ! U jst cracked me up. Yaba!
Yaba
June 18, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Charles u ar a joker ! U jst cracked the life outta me. .. Yaba!
Yaba
June 18, 2013 at 2:31 pm
Charles u ar a joker ! U jst made my day. .Oweee u craked de life outta me. .. Yaba!
honest woman
June 18, 2013 at 7:38 pm
Well well well, from reading the article, I conclude that it is best not to eat on a bus or whatever means of a ride, but to wait till you disembark. And if you are to eat because you cannot help it, then it is best you bite off small bits till it is over, to borrow from Chisala! (lol) A sausage may reek of garlic and we all know the offensive smell of garlic. Someone may belch ‘garlicky’ gas and that is enough to may someone throw up, like a pregnant woman for instance.
Another issue is some people just have terribly offensive body odours and foul smelling mouths. It is best such people do not make movements let alone open their mouths!