Why, oh why do those people who write complaining letters to
publications sign off with a ‘Mr Angry’ or ‘Unhappy’ or even ‘Tim Portugal’ (which
presumably stands for timid). If they hold certain views and wish to bring them
to the attention of the public then why are they so afraid to stand up and be
counted. Do they think that those of us who disagree with their views will seek
them out in order to throw rotten fruit, poke them in the eye with a sharp
stick or make a night time visit to their homes and set fire to their agapanthus?
If you look of the letters pages of our English speaking
newspapers you will find dozens of such anonymised opinion holders with diverse
gripes, the most popular being the police road checks; the fact that the pace
in southern Europe is slower than we northerners are used to and the motorway
tolls. Re the road checks, frankly I don’t know what the fuss is all about. In
every country in the world the police are paid out from the taxes collected
from the population – you and me. So think
of your fine as a tax but this tax is a tax which you can legally evade,
unless you are stupid enough to drive around with a missing dust-cap from your
tyre’s air valve or a windscreen cleaner jet that washes the car behind. In
cases such as these you fully deserve to be escorted to the nearest Multibanco
and made to pay up. Perhaps we should be applauding the police instead of
castigating them for keeping those who are uninsured, over-the-limit or driving
unsafe vehicles, off the road.
And isn’t it pleasant to sit and read a book whilst whiling
away a few hours at Telecom in order to ask why your phone/internet account
doesn’t work. What would you be doing instead, lying by the pool collecting
melanomas? Ditto the Post Office and the Financas
As to that hoary old chestnut, the motorway tolls. C’mon,
it’s a no brainer, you have three choices, use the motorway and pay the toll, use
the motorway and find a large truck to tailgate so that your number plate will
not be read as it approaches the gantries; or use the EN 125 coast road...
Personally I prefer the EN 125. It is the least boring
option for it fully exercises the mind as you contemplate what caused that
coach by the side of the road to finish up on its roof, why that car that was
indicating right turned left and why there are skid marks on the roof of that
house. Furthermore, should you be travelling between Fonte Boliqueim and Guia
you have the added bonus of stopping for a rest and having deep meaningful
chats with young ladies who seem friendly but appear to have no-one to talk to.
Most of them, well the ones on the right
(if you are travelling westward) are obviously super intelligent and have a
first class degree in marketing as their Point of Sale material is quite
superb. Day-Glo colours and eye-catching styling; not to mention their USP’s
(unique selling points which I can’t mention unless the country in which you
reside deems you an adult) .However on the left there is one young lady who,
seemingly, cut the lectures and sadly failed the course as she stands or sits,
in the shadows wearing, what appears to be camouflage colours. I really have to
low down quite dramatically as I near her area otherwise I’ll miss her.
But back to the point in question ….. what was the point-in-question? Oh yes, my
mind was becoming side-tracked – name and address withheld. Why do the letters editors
allow this? This blatant pandering to wimpish cowards hiding behind the skirts
of anonymity. Or, heaven forfend, could it be the editors themselves making
their own views public? We need to be
told!
