Arjun: Priya, wait. Before you go behind that tree, you have to apologise.
Priya: Apologise to whom?
Arjun: The spirits, obviously. If you’re going to urinate in the wild, you should say sorry first. You don’t want to offend something living there.
Priya: Arjun, it’s a tree. Not a landlord.
Arjun: Laugh all you want. My grandmother always told me, “Never relieve yourself in the forest without asking permission.”
Priya: And did she also tell you the forest has a complaint department?
Arjun: Very funny. But these traditions exist for a reason.
Priya: Some traditions exist because people were trying to explain things they didn’t understand. That’s different from having evidence that spirits are actually there.
Arjun: You can’t prove there are no spirits.
Priya: True. But that’s not how evidence works. If someone claims spirits live behind every bush, the responsibility is on them to provide evidence—not on me to disprove an invisible creature.
Arjun: Fine. But I’ve heard stories. My cousin once went into a forest without apologising and came back with a terrible fever.
Priya: And that’s supposed to prove the spirit was offended?
Arjun: What else could it be?
Priya: Mosquitoes? A virus? Heat exhaustion? Contaminated water? There are plenty of ordinary explanations.
Arjun: But he said he felt like someone was watching him.
Priya: That’s actually pretty normal in a dark forest. Humans are extremely sensitive to possible threats. When visibility is poor, our brains can interpret rustling leaves, shadows and animal sounds as signs that someone—or something—is nearby.
Arjun: So you think every strange experience is just the brain making things up?
Priya: Not exactly. The experience can be completely real. The explanation can still be wrong.
Arjun: Hmm.
Priya: Think about Singapore. You walk through a nature reserve at night, hear branches moving, and suddenly your imagination starts working overtime. Then someone tells you, “That’s a spirit.” Now every sound becomes evidence.
Arjun: Okay, but saying sorry costs nothing.
Priya: That’s your strongest argument so far.
Arjun: See? I’m winning.
Priya: No. I’m saying there’s nothing wrong with being polite if it makes you comfortable. But we shouldn’t confuse a comforting ritual with a scientifically established fact.
Arjun: So if I say, “Sorry, spirits,” before peeing behind a tree, you’re not going to stop me?
Priya: Absolutely not.
Arjun: Good.
Priya: But please make sure you’re actually far enough from the trail and water source. That’s more important.
Arjun: Why?
Priya: Hygiene, environmental contamination, and not disturbing other people or wildlife.
Arjun: So your spirit is called “Environmental Health.”
Priya: Exactly. And unlike your forest spirit, mine has scientific papers.
Arjun: Fine. I’ll apologise to the spirits and follow your environmental rules.
Priya: Deal.
Arjun: Although I’m still not taking any chances.
Priya: Go ahead.
Arjun: Looks toward the trees. “Sorry, everyone. Just passing through.”
Priya: See? Now you’ve offended absolutely nobody.
Arjun: Except possibly the mosquitoes.
Priya: Those definitely don’t care about your apology.
Tell Us What You Think