As someone that does most of my work from the comfort of my home while interacting with internet beings whom I can only wish to meet in the nearest future, I also enjoy stepping out to the real world to enjoy the natural breeze in my fatherland.
When I say natural breeze, it doesn't say anything about the nature of what we are inhaling. Don't make the mistake of thinking that it's always going to be fresh air. No offence meant, but air pollution is also a thing here.
During one of the short trips I made, we got into a serious traffic jam and the bus I boarded was right behind a heavy-duty vehicle. The traffic was so bad to the extent that we could only move when the vehicle ahead of us moves. No side movement or backward movement. Just forward, in an epileptic manner.
Here is the hard pill;
The heavy-duty vehicle in front of ours was blowing thick black smoke from its exhaust.
That was a difficult experience for all of us because at first, our side windows were open. When we realized the condition of the car in front of us, it was already too late. We tried closing the window but that turned out to be worse because the vehicle I boarded didn't have Air Conditioner.
While some passengers wanted all windows to be opened, others felt it's better to keep it closed. We stayed in the vehicle for about 3 minutes, trying to endure the situation but every breath we took was incredibly painful. 5 minutes into this unpleasant situation, our car became deserted. Everyone, including our driver, had to step out of the vehicle to catch our breath. Seriously, the grace to inhale fresh air is underrated.
It was a hellish experience...
Don't think too much about how a vehicle is allowed to move around freely when it's polluting the air to that extent. That wasn't my first time seeing stuff like that on major roads.
Thankfully, I live in an area where I don't have to complain about the air I breathe. I also have an air freshener at home. Lol. That's usually the first thing I replace even before I finish the ones I have in my possession.
Be glad for the air you breathe ✌️
Thanks For Not Missing Any Full-stop Or Comma
Also published here
Image is mine