You know the sound we make sometimes when we are frustrated or irritated? The sound we make with our tongue touching the roof of our mouths. I don’t exactly know how to spell that sound out, but maybe along the lines of “Tsk!”.

I hate that sound.

I really do. To me, that sound speaks of bad manners and rude conduct. I know I do it sometimes too, and I do admit I have my rude moments as well. But I only utter that sound when I’m alone or when I know no one else can hear it.

I was walking along this crowded walkway in a shopping mall just now, and everyone was busy going for their dinner appointments, browsing through push-carts and buying foodstuffs from some temporary foodstalls that are there. I had to stop in the middle of the walkway because there were too many people in front to proceed further. Think Chinatown on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Since I couldn’t walk on, I decided to then turn my attention to the push-cart nearest to me.

“TSK!” My ear burned from that loud, obnoxious and rude sound. I turned and saw this lady staring daggers at me while trying to elbow her way through in front of me. I was livid. I couldn’t move as well, but you don’t see me trying to push and shove my way through this huge crowd. Maybe she’s in a hurry, I’ll grant her that, but then basic courtesy calls for a simple “Excuse me” or even just a slight unintentional nudge. Not that irritating “tsk” sound.

Sure, it sounds like a very trivial matter here, too trivial to even talk about it, it seems. But as some of my friends may know by now, I simply abhor rude people. I can tolerate laziness, irresponsibility or even arrogance. But no way can I brush rude people off my shoulders. It’s this simple act of saying “Excuse me” or a smile. Is that really so difficult?

Right now, I encounter students who need to have some basic manners and courtesy taught to them. I simply refuse to acknowledge them when they are rude. Laziness, poor results, self-mutilation. I can bear with those. It’s rudeness that I can’t. And to be honest, I don’t see myself ever tolerating it.