Tuesday, August 11, 2009

DONOT Say "Cheeeeeeeese"...

I went to renew my driving licence today. A simple Ontario driving licence. This required the agent at the counter to take a picture of me. I was very surprised when I was told NOT to smile. At first I thought that she was joking but ironically this was not a laughing matter. She was dead serious that my mug shot had to be WITHOUT a smile. I hated waiting for the flash to go off without a warning, blinding me in the process. In anticipation of the flash and being told not to smile, made me scowl , so i guess the agent got what she wanted -- A no smile pic. Anyways I got it over with (I am very sensitive about my eyes)

Later as I was walking out of the office I thought to myself-- why is it that the agent insisted for a pic without a smile. The conclusion I reached ( I could not verify this from the agent as she said that these were her instructions-- Period.) This I thought had everything to do with what the law enforcing agencies wanted. Possibly a smile changes our faces and as we go about our business everyday, burdened with all our stresses and deadlines we generally do not smile. So the law authorities wanted a pic that closely resembles our everyday appearance ( a non smiling face)

What does that tell you ?-- we as a society or more correctly as a species have forgotten to smile. Somewhere, something has "moved our Cheeeese"

1 comment:

Pankaj said...

Hey... YOU may not have smiled... but your narrative sure made ME smile!

Let's have a Laughter Therapy session! Ha ha ha!!!