The MRT RIDE

THE MRT RIDE



Its been long time since I took an MRT alone. Being very lazy and the last minute prep person, I never really will have time to take MRT so I would be rushing for a cab. And even if I take MRT, I would be with my friends busy chatting and if at all am alone which was in my pre-marriage days I used to be totally involved in a book most of the time even missing my stop.

Last week after my class I had taken MRT surprisingly alone and was not even having any book in hand to read. Somehow in India I used to enjoy the train rides observing people around me. Singapore mostly it would be like everyone would be busy with their iphones/PSPs etc so whats there to observe people. But this time lucky I am I get to see how busy and how different everyone lives are.

I noticed a couple with two kids and may be they are going to changi airport with luggages. The baby was so chubby and cute and was trying to get away from the stroller while their son was asking so many questions to his dad. His mom was continously having a worried and kind of irritated look with so many dont do this / that to both her kids. For a minute I felt it was like me...I used to do the same with my daughter being over protective...Oops..does it look so irritating to others and may be to Pavan of me being a constant NOI..NOI..;) Next to them a lady a singaporean with Indian origin(based on looks) was pretending to sleep. The boy was being playful and was moving beside this lady and she was not giving him place and really was acting as if she were sleeping. I was thinking how mean she should be to behave like that with a kid...May be my thoughts were too loud the minute I thought it she turned around and looked at me with a mind your own biz look. Was she a vampire or what :)

Then next to me was sitting a very old lady must be in her late eighties and a old man was standing. She was constantly looking into the old man and telling something. Everytime there was a seat vacant she would call him giving a worried look and ask him to sit. She was actually finding it difficult to tell that also. Finally that old man came and told her Mom Am fine okay..I want to stand..Actually I was really touched..Well however old your son may be for a mom he still remains a child.

Two extremes...I saw two moms one with a 5 year son and the other with almost 50 plus year kid and both shared the same commonality...a worried look in their face for their kids..Moms never change :)

Then there was a dad and son standing. The dad must be in late fourties and the son must be actually almost in 20s and the irony is that the son seemed to be mentally handicapped. He was not holding anything and trying to stand and the father was trying so hard to make him hold something and balance. He was totally in smiles at times looking puzzled and at times feeling dazed. And whenever he smiled even the dad smiled showing him something. It left a strange ache in me. I asked him if he wants to sit but he said he has to get down in the very next stop. It leaves me with the feeling that when almost everything is alright with us we still complain about all small things when there are people who has every right to complain just walk away smiling enduring things. May be thats why attitude matters.

Opposite to me was a serious woman sitting and reading a big book. I tried hard to find out what she was reading. Curiosity boss!!! what to do. But could never succeed in that.

And then I saw some kids getting inside chatting happily and bullying each other as well. They were all wearing the same kind of t-shirt but no names in it. Probably went for a competition or something. Nostalgia...:( Missing good old golden days
Each one having a mobile phone and planning for outing and were quite loud as well.
Most of the time in a group of students there is a person who always look cheerful and one person quite reserved. It was the same in todays case also.

Anyways thats it by then I had to get down. But this is the first time I got to see some lively scenes in singapore MRT.

Have you ever heard a song from so long ago with so many memories tied to it that it made you cry? And didn't you with that you could go back into time when everything seemed so much simpler and carefree? Those are songs that are the soundtrack of our lives... the ones that bring back childhood memories, best friends, first love, first heartbreak... the memories.

Are you thinking what is this got to do with the MRT journey :)
Thats the prologue for my next blog :)