Commute
2020 is the year most of my friends started working from home. In my naiveté, I had thought they would be happy doing it. But after talking with them, and listening to their complaints for months, (like the indignities of having to work in pajamas, the lack of office gossip, lack of office, the 2 min bedroom-to-living room commute, having lunch in your own kitchen, etc) I realized how lucky I am to not work from home and enjoy the traditional, old fashioned commute to work. And that’s the enhanced version, with public transport, not the water-downed car one! So here is a snippet of my average morning I now learned to cherish.
4.30am
Alarm goes off, it’s still dark outside, not a surprise seeing how it’s mid December. I’d feel bad but it’s too early, and I’m still in a kind of a stupefied haze. I roll out of my bed and head for the shower. Afterwards, a quick rummage through the pile of clothes to find something in reasonably clean and unwrinkled condition. Walk outside, it’s raining. Good. Nothing like December rain to give you a bit of extra incentive to get yourself to the bus stop (uncovered) #1 early.
5.10am
I use that extra time to admire the wonders of architectural design around me. I appreciate how the industrial park surrounding me matches multiple shades of gray on its square, blocky, 2 story warehouses in such a unique way, managing to hit that right blend that evokes feelings of hopelessness, drudgery and utilitarianism, while maintaining perfect forgettability. Result being that after gazing at it’s magnificence, you’ll be rewarded by the feeling of dispiritedness for the entire day while never being quite able to put your finger on why exactly you feel that way. A true masterpiece.
5.25am
The bus is now late, and I decide to take a different route, buss going in opposite direction, with a slightly longer route, but preferable to waiting and hoping the first bus shows up. During the ride we pass the first bus, stopped on the side of the road with the driver on the phone. My bus driver asks what’s the problem, and first driver, unfazed, says: “electrical fire”, and goes right back to his phone call. It drops me off at the bus stop (uncovered) #2 and a 20min wait, in that same lovely rain. By this point, I’ve started to loose circulation in my fingers, and alternate hands holding up the umbrella for whatever marginal benefit in warmth that game yields. Only thing making it slightly better is that by now I’m joined by about 5 other fellow commuter connoisseurs. Misery likes company, as the saying goes... I know it’s really cold because nobody is on their phone, which makes whole scene seem unreal.
6.00am
Bus #2 shows up on time after a 20 min wait and we’re off into new adventures. More of industrial scenery passes around me, toped of by a bridge over the grayest of grey rivers I ever saw. Half sunken barges, log booms and dilapidated boats sit tied to shore and a lonely tug boat goes on it way (to some better place I hope, but doubt it). It drops me of at the bus stop #3, conveniently located under the overpass.
6.15am
Here I’m greeted by a familiar sight, same homeless looking guy I see every morning, with a coffee cup containing what is most definitely not coffee, and taking up the only bench. I walk back and forth in a feeble attempt at generating some warmth, but wind that blows under this overpass makes that a token gesture at best. Bus #3 shows up, and this being the first station, I get to choose my seat! Talk about luxury.
6.40am
Bus #3 drops me off next to the park, now serving as a tent city. Few of the tents sport a make shift chimneys that are spewing out bluish/black smoke. It’s a nice blend of wood and random garbage being incinerated that I learned to associate with the end of my commute.
Just a quick 10 min walk and I’m there! As I change, I look at the clock, 7am and I take a second to gratefully appreciate the experiences my commute provided, and think of my poor home-bound friends, still oblivious in sleep, and empathies with them and their troubles…