Recently, while my vehicle was at the mechanic’s shop for repairs, I rode my bike wherever I had to go. Being on a bike, as opposed to being in the enclosed bubble of a vehicle, allows for greater possibilities of connection and communication with those encountered en route.
On one occasion, craving a "veggie bussup," I cycled to a roti shop. While bagging my order, the woman told me that she normally puts the food in square boxes, but because I was biking, she would put it in a circular box, as that was less likely to bend and spill in the bag while I rode.
In a world where many people are often too caught up in themselves or their mobile phones to notice others, her observation, attention to detail, quick thoughtfulness and forward thinking touched me. Her act of fulfilling a need that I had not even considered was an example of great customer service and gave me appreciative insight into her personality as someone who seems to care for others.
About two mornings later, while riding to my intended destination, I stopped at a crossroad. A man across the road waved at me, made a thumbs-up sign and, as I rode past him, said: “Be careful out there.”
His words struck me as a variant of the commonly heard “Be safe,” which, since the onset of covid, many people have adopted as watchwords (or more accurately, buzzwords) for the times. I have noticed those two words applied to the end of phone calls, e-mails and physical meetings. In fact, "Be safe" is now so commonly used in parting that it seems to have taken over from “Goodbye,” which was derived from "God b’ye," a contracted form of "God be with ye." Maybe, in a more far-reaching way, that is what it could be seen to mean.
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Similarly, in recent times, traditional salutations like "Good morning" and "Good afternoon" have "mutated" and now are vocalised as “Sanitize!” and “Temperature!” when we enter certain establishments
That language of the pandemic, now widely spoken around TT and the world, has a limited vocabulary: "Wash your hands!"..."Wear your mask!"..."Sanitize!"..."Social distance!"..."Get vaxxed!"
Often spoken in an authoritative tone or with a cold, robotic voice, quite like that of an automated recording, it is generally not perceived as a warm, welcoming, encouraging or reassuring lingo.
This is unfortunate, considering that this "language" has evolved at a time when the world craves (and would possibly respond more readily to) more love, care and understanding...not only through actions, but through the words we use and the ways in which we deliver them to each other in private and public scenarios.
Recently, while riding back home after completing an errand, I met a man, a fellow dog lover, with whom I have spoken briefly on two occasions (about dogs). We exchanged smiles and good mornings and, as I rode past, he called out: “Be careful, my dear! I never want to see you get hurt!”
Had he been speaking the socially programmed language of these times, he woul
