There is something distasteful about travelling on the mrt during peak periods. The pushing and the shoving; the standing for long distances, sometimes with nothing to hang onto; and the unbearable noise -- whether it is the screaming rails when the mrt is moving underground or the ceaseless chatter of teens, kids, aunties and uncles, etc etc.
I remember one incident when I was alighting at cityhall station. Even before passengers started exiting, people were clamouring to enter, throwing proper decorum to the four winds. Suddenly, I was possessed by some malevolent, alien force, to do something nasty -- Thus, I braced my shoulders and deliberately pushed against the incoming crowd, hitting a middle-aged chinese lady squarely on her shoulder in the process. She was knocked back a step or two and uttered a loud "Aiyoh!" but I briskly walked on without a backward glance and even grinned to myself later on, as if proud of my "achievement." It wasn't until days later when I reflected upon my un-gracious behaviour that I vowed never to be so thoughtless ever again. Wasn't it Confucius who wisely said --
Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.
Another grouse I have is with people who are unwilling to give up their seats to others who are less able than themselves. Many a time, I've seen pregnant ladies and fragile old folks stand on the mrt for long distances while those occupying the seats nearest to them just pretend not to notice. It is even worse when these uncaring individuals are apparently educated, English-speaking young teenagers/adults. Civic-consciousness is seriously wanting in many of our youths... just goes to show how effective moral education really is.
Believe me, I'm not normally a preachy prude. Perhaps I'm just too uptight and irritable eversince I lost my hp recently.. and there I go mentioning it again. Honestly, I can't help whining and ranting about it because it really feels like I've lost an important limb or something. Often, when I'm at home watching television or surfing the net, my arm would instinctively reach out for my mobile (which isn't there) to check for any unread messages. Or I would suddenly wonder why I haven't heard a single beep from it for hours only to realise my predicament moments later. However, the main regret I have is lacking the foresight to save the numbers of my contacts somewhere else... I am such a pathetic idiot.
Anyway, on my homeward journey just now, there was a horrendous screeching noise somewhere near the front cabins right after Jurong East station. Immediately, a handful of passengers looked at one another with concerned expressions... I myself, already had some wild scenarios playing out in mind: Could it be that the train is dragging someone's carcass for half a mile without the driver realising it? Was the train going to be derailed...?? After the London bomb blasts, anything was possible I guess... Fortunately, it was nothing. LOL
