Nonchalance

Recently I encountered 2 young men who were quite impolite in a matter of fact way. One was at Cold Storage Supermarket the butchery department. I asked the young butcher (probably in his early 20's) whether he could help cut the ribs into smaller pieces. He asked me with a blank face "Who will pay my medical cost if I cut my fingers?" "Of course your company," I laughed. He was not amused but just went on to say that he couldn't cut them any smaller.  I was taken aback by his poor customer service attitude but was not angry, only slightly put off. Instead I walked away a bit puzzled and strangely enough with a bit of admiration for such youthful nonchalance.

It happened again today in the wet market. The son of the old vegetable seller was manning another section of the stall. He seemed to be in really bad mood and was pulling a long face. He called the attention of the customers next in line for payment by tapping his fingers impatiently. The customers seemed to be afraid of him. When it was my turn I asked him to include some scallion and celery. He said he only had short celery. "Oh those aren't yours?" I pointed to 2 baskets close to his stall. "What do you think?" he said. "I don't know," I said. I exchanged a glance of disbelief with another customer. Again I wasn't angry but more surprised by the "Can't care two hoots" attitude from the young man.

I find that whilst I like people who are warm and friendly I have always admire people with a nonchalance air around them.

Ogden Nash (American poet) wrote:
"I would live all my life in nonchalance and insouciance (unconcern)
Were it not for making a living, which is rather a nouciance (nuisance)"
He seems to be alluding to how work gets in the way of a carefree and heedless lifestyle

Maybe nonchalance and insouciance have always been part of my alto ego, which my conscious self is not brave enough to embrace. The defiant attitude of the 2 youngsters reminds me of my shadow.