Tiger Woods and his Minions!

Yes, I heard he was fined for his breach of the code conduct by the golfing association- his offense spitting while putting his way to the tournament in Dubai. In fairness to Tiger Woods his spitting, based on the video I saw, was unconsciously done with no malice or whatsoever, however, to the Tournament Director, it was an appalling gesture as if he was making a mockery out of the game. Really now!? I am sure that when he did the spitting, mocking wasn’t part of his agenda. Frustration was, winning was. Spitting was just a release of tension. Am I right Tiger?   

I admit it made me winced with distaste to see Tiger Woods spitting his birdie off (no pun intended). But unlike the Golf Tournament Director who was less forgiving as to extort money for his (Tiger Woods) spit, I for one is more generous in understanding Mr. Woods. I mean why make mountains of molehills? If I may surmise, it is the first time he had done that. I am sure that had he been conscious of his actuations he could have not done that, he could have swallowed his stale saliva and spare him another bad image and prevent the stiff upper lip golfing association big guns from going amok. Poor Tiger Woods!

One time, while I was riding a jeepney, one  passenger  sitting in front of me, spitted like crazy that his saliva almost hit me by a hair. I was disgusted by him that I shot him my most evil look that he had no choice but to look away. If he just heard my profanities in my mind, he could have had died that instant.  I am quite sure some of the passengers who saw the spitting also shared my sentiments. It was really disgusting. 

So what instances are spitting permissible? Well, if someone hits you in the face and as a consequence lacerated the inside of your mouth and bleeding commenced, you spit the blood with saliva right? It would be gross to swallow it. Like my lady friend who tripped flat on her high heels and her lips got broken when it hit the ground. Shunning all the grace and poise that was her trademark, she was spitting blood on the side of the street, while I felt miserable for not being able to catch her fall on time. How about if you choke while eating? You spit the food right especially when gobble a whole roasted pig?  Did you know that there spitting is applauded by the Guinness Books of Records? The cherry pit spitting, what people would do was to eject the pit with great speed  and to shoot it to a great distance- the record distance? 95 feet and 6.5 inches. Wow! Power! There’s more this one is morbidly fascinating, involving the dead-spitting dead crickets. If I were you, I opt for the cherries. The “sport” was developed by the ingenious entomologist Tom Turpin at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN in the US. For 20 seconds the participants spit frozen and then thawed crickets in rapid fire succession while keeping in mind that the lifeless insects should remain intact-six legs, four wings, and two antenna, before it is counted as an entry. That strict a contest!? I just hope no hapless crickets were murdered. The world record was 32 feet and 1 inch? That Dan Capps, must have the esophagus like a bazooka. Compared to the two sports mentioned this one beats them all in terms of hygiene and smell-the Kudu Dung Spitting. Sounds appetizing? For Shaun van Rensburg, it was, for he holds the world record of spitting a dung to a distance of 15.56 meters. By the way, Kudu is a type of Antelope that expel hard pellets of dung which was used in the contest.

Spitting also transcends what was mentioned beforehand is also used by the albularyo or shaman as part of a ritual to fight off or ward off the curse of an engkanto or environmental spirits.  Like my Aunt who had medically unexplained boils all over her body. The laboratory tests revealed nothing gravely significant; desperate for cure we summoned an albularyo to treat her. One of the rituals he did was to spit repeatedly on my Aunt’s head, the crown part. Repugnant and yet it cured my Aunt.

from http://www.aar-crm.com/Contact.html

In the past, there is what they call spittoon, a receptacle made for spitting. In the Western Europe, during the Middle Ages it was considered ill-mannered to swallow the saliva so people would spit anywhere and no one make ugly and disgusted faces. for it was just a normal thing. However, time and tides change for in the early 1700’s spitting should be done in concealment. By 1859, spitting in public had become vulgar and distasteful, an act that warrants gossip and reprimand. It was in this era that spittoons were made to address the need to spit in public, which the society at that time accepted. With the onset of influenza epidemic of 1918, the use of spittoon has since disappeared saved from the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States who are provided with their own personal cuspidor (spittoon). 

I admit I had my share of spitting in public, I have done it conspicuously as to spit in trashcans, bushes, and canals and I made sure it was done in the most decent, acceptable and concealed way. What is most unacceptable is the habitual spitting done anywhere and everywhere, truly contemptible, needless to say unhygienic for you can be spreading your disease. As for Tiger Woods, I pity the guy for being the subject of such scrutiny, he had apologized and the golf tournament director should do the same and not blow  Tiger's malfeasance out of proportion. Next time Tiger Woods bring tissue or a spittoon during your game, it will save you money and prejudice. Cut the guy some slack, okay?