Please buy your own newspaper

P

robably, the reason some media companies decided to staple their newspaper was to tame fellows who borrowed newspapers read. Gone are days when people, some with soiled or sweaty hands, would clumsily flip through the paper at the new stand and in the process put off prospective buyers. Unfortunately, these people shifted their annoying habits elsewhere.

They hang around the vendors waiting for anyone to buy a copy. Even before the vendor has given back the change, they will pool around you peering over the shoulders to read the paper. And mind you, theirs is not a cursory glance at the days headline. They will slowly read page after a page sometimes even reading an entire in depth, double-paged feature and discuss the issues at the same time. Your only hope is to pretend that you are in a hurry and take off with the paper. Afterwards they have no apologies to make.

Then there is the insensitive gossip who will offer a running commentary as he reads. At such moments, you wonder whether he does not know you bought the newspaper to read it not to be read to. If someone seriously wanted to read the day’s newspaper, why not buy a copy? And if one cannot afford it, they can go to a hotel, buy a drink and sip leisurely as they read the provided newspapers.