Friday, April 07, 2006

Wind Rain No Change

Okay, that's the direct translation from the chinese idiom, 风雨不改

It really 'impresses' me... every morning, it's always that two uncles who lead the queues - rain or shine... They're always chatting... smiling... Hm... seems no worry... and yes, they seem enjoying the wait... or they're so used to waiting that they decided that chatting is one of the best time-killer in the morning? or they're just making constructive use of time - to catch up with each other, to update each other with the happenings and encounters they went through the previous day? Hm... maybe they are very very good friends???

It's barely 7 am... then come a few followers after them... by the time it's 7.15 am, there will be at least 20 people in each waiting lines... the people queue up in an orderly manner... there's no 'discipline master' around to ensure peace and harmony in this group of people. Many of them just joined the queue... very few are like the two 'leaders'... they don't talk... they are 'individuals'... so what bring them together?

Just after 7.15 am... 3 men came... the usual three... they pushed their load up... stack the load slowly... there is no sign of rush at all! Hm... they take their 'own sweet time', surprising, in a quick pace society here, the people in the queue can tolerate with the slow motion... why? why they bother to wait??? It's not that they can't afford, but they wait... Hm... that's the only chance they can practise patience?

OK, this takes place at Tampines MRT station every weekday morning. "Wind, Rain - no change!" ... those 3 men were the ones who deliver the free newspapers every morning...

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