Am I the only one who makes weird New Year’s resolutions? Last year, I decided to give up coffee. That lasted all of two months before I caved under peer pressure. I mean, we have free coffee at the office, but for some reason, my colleagues and I insist on walking to Tim Hortons and standing in line for our overpriced brew. Two coffees a day, and I’m out about $66 a month. It sounds ridiculous, right? But I’ve realized it’s less about the coffee and more about my desperate attempt to fit in with office social life.
It’s not really about the coffee; it’s the walk to the shop, the small talk in the line, the bonding over the shared misery of waiting. I mean, why else would we line up? We line up for coffee, we line up for the subway, we even line up to get into bars. Heck, some clubs make you stand outside in a line just to make it look like they’re packed, even when they’re emptier than my fridge at the end of the month. You’d think people would walk away when they see a line, but nope—lines just make us want in even more.
Here’s the thing: Canadians love lining up. Seriously, it’s like a national sport. If there’s a line, we’re there. If a new cashier opens up, do we rush over? Nope. We glance around, silently debating if it’s rude to jump ahead, as if the cashier’s register is the Holy Grail and we’re unworthy. Usually, the poor cashier has to holler, “I can help someone here!” Meanwhile, back in my home country, Bangladesh, the scene would be the complete opposite. There, a new line is an invitation to a shoving match; it’s like a flash mob, but instead of dancing, people are scrambling to get their hands on bread during a famine.
So, this year, 2015, I’m aiming for a new resolution trifecta: stay sober, write a blog post, and read at least a few pages every day for the entire month of January. Let’s see how long this one lasts.
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