The Bitter Way

A skateboarder uses the TTC bench as a skid platform

WARNING: Rant to follow

As a kid I would be spanked when I did something really bad, misbehaved, or was deemed a general nuisance. My Dad would put the fear of God in me just by reaching down to his belt buckle. It wasn't done for the enjoyment of beating ones offspring, it was to teach the little s__t to behave. If the hand went to the belt, I had done something wrong. Pretty simple.

There was no misunderstanding. When the belt came off you knew that you did something bad. Maybe you didn't know what it was but after a few beatings you'd find out. You were conditioned to be good.

Thanks to my "programming" ideas like "Treat someone like you'd want to be treated.", "Take care of things that don't belong to you like they do.", "Make sure when borrowing stuff from someone that they get the stuff back in the same or better condition.", "Don't litter", "Don't stand on the streetcar or bus seats with boots on." and the whole slew of other things that make me a better human being.

When I see others that take no responsibility for their actions it disgusts me.

A few years ago I lent my Star Wars laser disc box set to a person. As it was a collectors item (and $300 when I bought it) I had kept it in near mint condition for the many months I had it. When I got it back one of the laser disc sleeves was warped and had water damage on it. Did the person I lent the set to try to compensate me in some way or even apologize? No he blamed his kid for spilling water on it.

Hello? If you borrow something I don't care who destroys it when it's in your possession. It's your responsibility. It's bad enough the thing doesn't come back that way it went out but blaming the damage on someone else? Who's taking care of the kid in the first place. Nice parenting, way to go.

As that happened long ago (in a galaxy far, far away) I still get steamed when I think of that incident and other incidents like it. Today there were some guys on skateboards skateboarding on the Spadina platform hogging about a third of the platform area to do their stunts.

If I were mayor of Toronto I would try to issue tazers for the TTC task force to put an end to these little upstarts. Either that or sick my belt wielding Dad on them (and their parents). That'll learn 'em.