We all know that fake smile we give when someone asks, “did I hurt or offend you?” We usually pretend and say, “No, it’s alright!” But most of the time what we really want is to shove the truthful answer in their face, like “yes, I hate what you just did.” Below, I share things people do that I hate and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I hate it when people make ill-mannered comments about one’s physical appearance or age. Comments like, “eh, you’ve grown so fat”, “eh, are you sick? You have lost too much weight”, “eh, you are so short in person”, “eh, you are too tall”. Rwandans put it like “ko ushaje vuba se?” for “you are getting old fast”. I hate it when people chew loudly. I guess this falls in the ‘it’s not your business’ category, but truth be told, it is so uncomfortable just sitting near someone who chews anyhow. I hate it when people make promises they won’t keep. Can we normalise saying ‘no, it won’t be possible’ than making promises then vanishing into thin air? This includes small things like, ‘I will call you back’, ‘I will visit you over the weekend’. I mean it is okay to cancel without letting someone put on hold everything else they could have done because they are waiting on you. I hate it when people borrow money very humbly but become rude when it is time to pay back. Friend, what happened to the civility when you were asking to borrow the money? How has this turned to a very busy you who ignore calls and doesn’t respond to messages? I hate it when people post pictures of their friends, relatives, or themselves lying on hospital beds. You have probably seen it on WhatsApp statuses or other social media platforms. What’s the deal, are people looking for sympathy? Because disturbing images on social media shouldn’t be the way to get it. I don’t know about you but I’m scared of such things. There mere sight of blood freaks me out. I hate it when people stare. Sometimes they go as far as gossiping about you even when you can hear them! Some friends from neighbouring countries argue that this is a Rwandan thing, to stare at someone, persistently, shamelessly. All I know is you can even forget how to walk with someone’s ‘weaponised’ eyes focused on you. Let’s just stop it, okay? I hate it when people are always keeping tabs on others. Let’s call it what it is, ‘gossip’. That one person who has all the information from when you wake up, where you work, what you eat at lunch, what your boyfriend did behind your back, how much you get paid, your embarrassing moments, you name it. They seek to always be updated, and can’t wait to share this information. I hate it when people place chewing gum under tables. How hard is it to throw your chewing gum in the bin once you are done with it, really? My pants once got stained by chewing gum because the table was too low. It is annoying…not to mention, nasty! I hate it when people don’t have any respect for personal property or space. Yes, we are friends but you still need to ask me first if you want to use any of my things. Yes, we are very close but you can’t just go through my phone without my permission. Can we separate friendship from intrusion? I hate it when people respect women only when it works for them. They are like “I’m a feminist too but…” But what? I think that if you are to respect women, then just do so. Even when you view her as ‘loud, ambitious, and independent’.
