Just a thought....
Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Wet world


I'm early. The world around me is wrapped in scarves and jackets, except for the guy in the denim shorts, no shirt, flip flops and a cap walking down below.

It's raining. As I'm early, I chose to stay on the undercover Metro bridge, watching the raindrops run along the concrete beam and eventually peel themselves off. The flickering fluorescent light turns the world around me into a kind of unearthly early-morning disco.

Somehow, the glistening wet of the side-walk makes the litter stand out starkly. Litter blocks the drains, so the water dams up in the road, turning the paving into a bug-sized, filthy surf.

Pigeons are amazing things. Where do they come from? One lone white pigeon bobs around, finds a soggy crumb and in a split second, twenty others arrive to help decimate the 'feast'.

My hands are cold, but then, my hands are pretty much always cold. They're saying that, a little way south of us, the sentient temperature this morning is -22ºC. I find that hard to believe. Not complaining here though. At least we're finally having a smattering of winter.

Augh. Poor guy. This old man is always there on the curb-side. His lopsided stool stands abandoned off to one side, as he hops around, trying to keep warm. He has a blue shopping trolley holding a polystyrene cooler of orange junk-juice and bottled water. I doubt he'll make too many sales today, if any. Even the coffee-and-cake guy is lacking his usual cluster of clients in the cold and rain.

Ah... time's up. I need to go down and wait for the bright yellow VW.

13 comments:

  1. You have a real talent for painting a picture with words. I always enjoy a glimpse of the world through your words. Thank you.

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  2. Very nice. I can just imagine it.
    Right now it is summer here in Canada. How funny thinking about weather -22 celsius during weather that is +30 with a humidex feeling closer to 40 degrees celsius.

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  3. I'm actually shivering here! Very well written!

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  4. Love your descriptions and that photo is great!

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  5. I felt like I was early with you!

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  6. Vivid is the word, and beautiful :-)

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  7. Actually... doesn't sound bad considering I'm bracing for another hot sweltering day.

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  8. Me too Tint, it's hot as Hades here. :) Thanks for the cooling off...

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  9. i'm with bert...sounds wonderful! even the early...i am an early bird. :)

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  10. Aw thanks folks! Actually, I was standing writing on the wall and freezing my fingers off. Concrete isn't designed for thermal efficiency =Þ But at least I was dry!

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  11. I love your photo and your words, Tint. :) Laughing at the pigeons, too, as they swarm our river every morning.

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  12. Wonderful descriptions. I think of you every time BBC World mentions the weather in Brazil. (it is our most-watched TV channel)

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Tint~