In a Selfish World, Only the Selfish Succeed

I’ve been standing in the queue for over three hours and you waltz onto the scene and ask nicely to cut in front of me because you’re in a rush. Well no! Get in the queue and wait it out like everyone else. Don’t you think we ALL had places we’d rather be?

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I once broke up with a guy over this nonsense. It was 15:25 hours when someone’s mother came into the bank 5 minutes before it closed and asked to cut in. I refused and my ex-boyfriend let the woman cut in. We’d been standing for a whiiiiillllleee. Just because we are young, she assumed we didn’t have anything better to do with our time. Old people privilege. She had the nerve to say, “You know I’m your mom isn’t?” And that’s what made me sick!

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I dislike this for one not so obvious reason, the principle. When you ask me dumb stuff like this what I hear is, “Thembi, your life, priorities and TIME should come second to mine.” Yes, essentially that’s what you’re saying to me when you ask to go ahead of me. It’s like we are in an exam and you look over to me and say, “Please may I use the only pen you have to write my exam,” of course the answer would be ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Things in Zimbabwe are tough. We are in queues for everything. Letting that one person cut in front of you could mean the cash running out before you get to the teller. I’ve been in a queue with Mr. W in the blistering heat only for the fuel to run out when we were right by the pump.

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Last week at the bank, the people in the cash withdrawals queue wouldn’t let a frail, senile lady jump the queue. She stepped to the front of the winding queue with old people privilege and the people weren’t having it. It’s become dog eat dog out there. The survival of the fittest. Ubuntu is dead and gone. A dying man is clutching at straws. A hungry man is now an angry man. I could go on but I think you get the picture.

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Chivalry is dead. Each man for himself. After standing in the queue until your feet hurt do you think you’ll give up your seat for anything? We are all tired. The system has taken its toll. You walk into the Zupco and the young and able-bodied are looking into their phones with earphones on. If their phones are dead, they stare directly ahead to avoid making eye contact with anyone who might make them give up their seat.

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A girl at my previous work would always try bully me into doing her “urgent” priorities at the expense of my own priorities. She didn’t have time to reason. And my argument was always, if we have KPIs, you’re essentially asking me to compromise mine for the sake of your KPIs. Ultimately, we are judged by our respective KPIs and I wouldn’t jeopardize mine for anything. I too needed the paycheck. I’ll get around to help you when I’m done with my tasks. Please and thanks.