Trying to get a bagel the other day I was stuck next to a few waiting to order some food. A young woman was complaining that her stomach was unsettled and she couldn't eat any food in this country. We were in an American style bagel shop with no distinction between Americana and Czech food. My initial, cynical, thought was it wasn't the food - it was the alcohol... then I thought to myself that I was being horrid for thinking that. I guilt trip myself over unguided mental trips. Lame. There - did it again.
Anyway - the girl kept talking and I found out... I was right. She can't eat but she sat there and relayed 5 nights of heavy alcohol abuse - not drinking but abuse. As her exchange program is affiliated with my school I know she'd only been in the country for - 5 nights.
How can you reach adulthood, be reasonably educated, drink yourself sick for 5 nights in a row and fail to connect the toxic level of alcohol in your system with a queasy stomach. It isn't the food. The food here is too bland to be offensive!
Her classmate joined her in her misery - but on a different topic. At first I thought this second girl and had a smidgen more reason - she was complaining about the smoke. A totally valid complaint and one also have - the stifling prevalence of cigarette smoking makes my hair and clothes stink, makes my lungs sick and makes my skin looks old. She touched on hair and clothes - but what divided my sense of camaraderie was the follow-up complaint... she was irritated by the lasting smell of smoke but more irritated that their flat didn't have a dry cleaning service established for them. How was she supposed to survive? And then the waiter didn't get there fast enough when she snapped her fingers at him.
The disaffection, the boredom and disgust - the sense of ennui in the midst of this beautiful city... the lack of connection with their being - I don't understand it. I don't want to either.
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