The Urge to Spit

Apr 19, 2013
Oops! Sorry!’, a well-dressed man with polished shoes said, after he spat on me accidentally. It really spoilt my trousers. What could I say? Only a “that’s fine”. I was definitely angry and anyone in my place would certainly be. I also wanted to warn him ‘Don’t repeat it again on anyone.’ Whether he understood or not, I could not make it out.

It is understandable that the urge to spit is not uncommon. This is especially true with us Nepalis. We never hestitate to spit anywhere we like; there are no rules to stop us doing it. But, that does not mean we should forget our duty to maintain the cleanliness of the place where we live and walk.

I agree that even in the cities the provision of dustbins is not in place. So the roads where we walk become the open garbage bins to go for this natural urge to clear our throat or lungs. In doing so, it creates a nuisance for others.

I am sure many of us have gone through the experience of people spitting wherever they like, mainly those who love chewing paan. People don’t mind indulging in this habit even from running buses without even bothering to see if anyone comes under its trajectory. The droplets are not only menacing as they may carry various germs and bacteria and can spread various diseases easily.

Only an awareness of keeping our environment clean can make the people search for a suitable place to get the irritant out. You can’t stop yourself from forgoing the necessity to eject what has induced your coughing. But, it is not only uncivilized but it creates an abhorrence in the sight of others.

Yes! You can throw it, but make sure it does not trouble anyone nearby. Sneezing requires a handkerchief so that your droplets don’t travel, but spitting is under your control and you must be responsible for it. Throw it when you are in the rest room or when you are at a lonely place. You can even stop on a busy road and seek a rubbish bin.

If you cannot resist the temptation, be sure to carry a polythene bag with you. Use it whenever the coughing bout starts. And, nowadays when the roads everywhere are covered in a cloud of dust, whatever you eject on the road or anywhere is bound to carry itself over a long distance and trouble somebody else.

This reminds me of my teacher who used to spit every two minutes as a habit rather than a necessity. This was a warning to the students but they could not help it. Always have a handkerchief with you to spit in.
Published in The Himalayan Times under Topics dated 19th April, 2013

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