people in trains
one route, different stories
My least favorite cardio activity is chasing the almost departing train. Ironically, it used to happen for me at least five times a week. But now, I haven’t been doing that often.
I still remember the way my heart beats faster for three stations as I try to catch more breaths. That is when I get a seat. If not, it takes five stations for me to calm down and have a normal heartbeat.
When the bodily functions turn back to normal, my eyes start to observe everything inside the train. One time I counted the numbers of seat and hand-holders in one car. I saw families. The kids would stare outside excitedly but start crying when we enter the underground. There were half-awake students at 6 AM. Disturbed by routines. They often use their earphones when they don’t see any familiar faces. When they do, they unplug the earphones and have conversations. At the same station, most of the students leave the train; queuing like mega-ants.
Involving public transportation services on daily basis, often makes me feel still in such a dynamic setting. Being in the same train with various people that have different intentions gives me the sense of calm. We’re all running with different tracks and we don’t need to worry of someone else’s track. We are our own route. It doesn’t mean that if someone wakes up earlier than you, they’ll reach their “finish line” faster. Different people have different purpose and different pace. My horizon has expanded after being one of the regular users of public transportation — in this case, train. Specifically, MRT.
If those trains were writers, I’d like to read every edition of everything they release. They are literally a space that contains untold stories of different people with various intentions.
Previously published in Medium