Constantly reaching new heights

Today I was left feeling useless, unworthy and inadequate. A sumo filled with mummy, papa, dada, dadi, 8 kids, plus the families of the nearest two neighbours stopped to ask me - I repeat: they stopped to ask me - directions to Juhu "Chowpatty". Speaking of which in Bombay we seem to have a helluva lotta Chowpattys. We got the original Chowpatty Chowpatty, then Dadar Chowpatty and finally Juhu Chowpatty. Extending the same logic, why isn't it called Manori Chowpatty and Goa ki Chowpatty? And Chowpatty doesn't even mean beach. Oh well, I digress. So they stopped in the middle of Bandra to ask how to get to "Chowpatty" in Juhu. Being the nice person I am I try to help them, which anyone who knows Bandra will know how difficult it is to guide someone from Perry Road to Juhu. Anyway I'm in the middle of my explanations when they simply drive off! How is that for appreciation and thanks?! I was left standing there in the middle of the street scratching my head wondering what is the world coming to and what values those poor 22 kids will learn? Or are they in training to become Government officials? Because they (the government guys not the kids - at least not yet) always make you feel like they are doing you a big favour when they stamp and sign that form that needed stamping and signing - the stamping and signing of which happens to be their only job. Another "oh well" needed here. Oh well!

Another bit of rudeness that I experienced in a similar scenario was in Hongkong. Me lost little tourist with map goes up to lady who is looking into shop window and hence not really busy (unless she was spying on husband inside. In that case I've perhaps misunderstood the whole situation.) Anyway, I ask her how to get to Chin Wan (or something similar, I'm sure) street. And her reaction? Nothing! A big fat nothing. She doesn't look my way, doesn't acknowledge my pitiful lil existence, nothing. And again I was left scratching my head in the middle of the street.

This asking or giving directions business is getting too complicated for my liking. Am I breaking some sort of unwritten rule in my behaviour in imparting my knowledge of roads or when asking others to share theirs with me?