29 November 2020 — Being English

There is a custom in England which for some reason I find very hard to adhere to. The custom is that when asked ‘How are you?’ one is supposed to say ‘I’m fine’ however one truly feels. For me, this begs the question ‘why ask if you don’t wish to know the truth’.

I am aware that in some circumstances people do go ‘off on one’ as it were with a sob story but they are not the ‘normal;/’ together’ person and perhaps sometimes they need compassion and understanding.

I bumped into two Spanish acquaintances of mine separately and asked them how they were. They both replied in the same manner telling me that they thought ‘how are you?’ was merely a substitute remark for ‘hello’ and did not require an answer. Their separate experience was that English people were not interested in hearing how they were.

This is a truth which I have only just grasped as when asked ‘ how are you’ I do tend to say how I am. Hopefully I do keep my answer short and to the point.

Another facet of the English personality perhaps. Or, it could be to do with the age factor. Perhaps, in the ‘olden days!’ it was the custom to answer truthfully when asked how you were.