When meeting new people or friends whom you haven’t met for eons, the first few words that come from one’s mouth mean everything about marking a good impression. Speaking life and being nice to people were acts that were seriously out of trend. Caustic acrimony is the new fashion.

I joined Perry and his dad last Friday for dinner, and he made a snide remark which was really pun intended.

p’s dad: “You know why girls didn’t like skinny guys?”

me: (bracing myself for some really acidic comments)

p’s dad: “They prefer bulkier guys over skinny ones because if they ever visit a windy beach, the bulkier one will be a better anchor.”

and the next one’s with photography:

me: (taking out the camera to take a shoot).

p’s dad: “So you’re into photography as well.”

me: “Yeah.”

p’s dad: “Not to scare you, but I was a professional photographer last time.”

And that was absolutely intended. I just couldn’t detect the expected pun that was probably embedded some twenty layers beneathed it. Oh come on, being nice wouldn’t take much effort, and why the need to trample on someone’s confidence?

To magnify one’s ego? Maybe.