Everyone has pet hates. I have more than I could count. Nails on a blackboard, squeaking of a balloon, people who constantly clear their throats. We ALL get shirty about something daft. It's not necessarily a bad thing though. Being the lovely British people that we are. Although we moan and groan and complain and write in to good old Terry Wogan and his 'points of view' and frown about the weather, whatever it may be... We absolutely LOVE to see other people's pain and suffering. The raged expression of a man struggling to get his pound back out of his trolley. It brings sunshine to our lives. The embarrassment of people pulling PUSH doors, tripping on the magic moving stair things, having chip and pin problems for their weeks worth of value groceries in supermarket rush hour. Brilliant for anyone lacking a smile.
Finding someone's weakness is one of life's greatest triumphs. Whether it be to whistle loudly when you know your completely out of tune, or to tap someone repeatedly on the shoulder calling out their name. It makes us genuinely happy. And obviously, My mind started to wander and meander.
As Brits, we like to see builders fall from scaffolding. I can't give you a reason for it but I can tell you that I'm smiling just thinking about it.
As Brits, we don't help if we see someone being attacked in the street, in case we get stabbed or don't get a cash reward, and god knows we may have to communicate with strangers.
As Brits, we love to see someone trying card after card at the cashpoint, and we love the joker who invented the game show style noise it makes to let the growing queue know that Mr Plastic Fantastic is flat broke.
We have a televised talent show where people who are nonsensically proud of themselves, perform for the entire nation with their whole hearts. They then get buzzed, laughed at, youtubed and tweeted about for all the wrong reasons. All because Barry and the lads from the warehouse told them they were world class.
We really are a horrible nation. Something must have caused us to become so sadistic and cruel. Maybe it was Margaret Thatcher, maybe not. Maybe it was the war, but probably not. Maybe I'll just move abroad.
