The ugly habit that came with popcorns

The smell of popcorn is one that arouses the senses of both young and old and makes the mouth water for a tasty handful. Every evening popcorn sellers hit the streets of Kigali and its suburbs, fix their little pop- machines and start their popping business. From Nyamirambo to Remera, Kimironko to Kicukiro, more and more people these days from work or school on their way home stop and buy the pops. Popcorns can make a dreary day a little brighter! And a movie a little more enjoyable, Just about everything is better with popcorn and almost everyone loves it. However, what makes me detest ‘Kigali Popcorns’ is the way it stripped some people of their etiquette. Since when did Rwandans start eating while walking? Is this a new ugly bug in town? Many people are joining this caravan every new day. It’s disheartening seeing a well dressed young man or woman holding tenderly an envelop full of popcorns marching while crunching away with no care in the world! Historically in all parts of the world people sit when they eat. I am not quite sure where this eating while walking came from. In Rwanda it’s extremely bad manners eating while walking. Even chewing gum in public, paints a not-so-good picture. People who eat while walking give the impression that they are in a rush, but confusingly, most of our popcorn eating individuals do so on the their way home, there is no way popcorns is that tasty that you can’t wait till you reach home! It dawned on me while strolling through the neighbourhood of one of the Kigali universities; I found a good number of students of that very university munching away on their way to the lectures. It’s time you broke that habit before it graduates and you find yourself eating ‘Takeaway’ or roasted maize on a bus on your way home. Just have a seat when you eat or take your ‘chow’ at home; it is much less messier and you don’t need to worry about smearing other people’s hands with oil and salt when you shake their hand in greeting. You may say that after all you’re not offending anyone, but in a way you are. You’re dragging us back to the days when we used to fight people who spat everywhere, smoked in public places or men who used to urinate anywhere they pleased. First of all, eating is not a very flattering look on anybody. There are very few who could pull off the action of eating and make it look attractive in any way. But while walking, it looks foolish in my opinion. I have seen some very unpleasant sights I must tell you. And seeing an adult human being eating on the street beats most of them. Is there no time in a day for somebody to sit and eat? Must you perform this unattractive feat in public? Eating while walking is considered to be very poor manners in this country, why? Probably because we are a culture based upon the importance of politeness to fellow man and that action conveys the soul of a person. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com