Friday, December 19, 2008

t h e - - c r o w d

2 posts in a day.

Something very minor & insignificant for a regular blogger, but not for a person like me. And now, today, for the 1st time, I'm posting twice on the same day.


Not too bad for a non-regular blogger.


One, I wanted to separate 2 totally different topics into 2 posts. Two, I wanted to post up this issue before I forget it by tomorrow (yes, my memory is that bad).

Back to the issue. Initially, I'm suppose to go collect the offer letter today at 9am from the Human Resource (HR) Department at my future office in Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. And try guessing what time did I actually reach Jalan Sultan Ismail?



7.10am.



Crazy? Definitely. Idiotic? Well, part of it.


Now, you ask me, "What the heck am I going to the place so early for? Also, what am I going to do there for like, 2 hours?! "


The main reason I went to the place so freaking early is because I want to avoid the crowd. THE CROWD. For people who often take public transport to work in KL (especially LRT or Monorail), you people know what I meant by not only the usual, ordinary crowd, but THE CROWD (note the bold & caps). Some simple characteristics & stats about THE CROWD:


- Strikes most viciously at peak hours at weekdays (from 7.30am to 10am & from 5pm to 8pm), whole day on weekends & public holidays.

- Comes in various size, gender, race & origin.

- Professional & office staff are not excluded & they make up the majority of this crowd.

- Often target popular public transportation, namely Putra LRT, Star LRT, KTM Komuter & KL Monorail.

- Often (& obviously, most of them) are impolite, hostile, cuts queue better than Malaysians on the road, rushes to entrance of LRT as if that's the last freaking LRT on planet Earth while ignoring poor outgoing passengers.

- Either have ugly & smelly body odour or "outrageous" fragrance due to excessive perfume / cologne.

- Pushes stronger than The Incredible Hulk, especially when the LRT's full.

- Totally inconsiderate as elder people & pregnant ladies are left to squish together with the other "sardines in the can".


Which is why I mentioned I was only part of "idiotic" previously.

Yes, I'm so stupid to sacrifice my lovely-dovey sleep time for the sake to avoid this ugly, unbearable phenomenon happening every day at the only public transport I can take to my new workplace. Hmmm, how about alternative transportation methods, you say?


Riding my motorbike?

Yes, you can definitely avoid THE CROWD, but you can't avoid THE DANGER. Moreover, I have.....ermm, insufficient insurance. Get away, insurance agents.


Driving my car?
Yes, I can also opt to drive there, but please remember this is KL & NOT Ipoh. Traffic jam kills, and if that doesn't kill you, the parking will.

Carpooling?
Might happen, but I don't know anyone yet besides my immediate supervisor & her boss. Gosh.



Which basically leaves me with no choice besides public transport. And trust me, I feel like I'm on heaven when I hop onto an LRT with so little people & cooler air-con. What's more, with the dark skies & the silence in the morning...just what I wanted.

And also for the 2 hours' I'm there, I can always look for a mamak / food stall nearby and have a nice cuppa' tea while reading 'The Sun' free newspaper or the book 'Exit A' by Anthony Swofford which I'm currently reading.

Frankly speaking, studying in Terengganu & working in Ipoh previously have caused such a big impact to my psychology & mindset. I'm no longer the city boy I was born to be; instead I'm slowly evolving to a village boy staying in the city. I no longer love to hear the sound of exhaust pipes & look at luxurious skyscrapers; instead I long for quiet & silent beaches with less people. I no longer fancy Kopi 'O' & Frappucino's at Starbucks; instead I long for Teh 'O' & 'taugeh Chicken' more than anything else.


I guess the change is for the better good.


And I'm sure my tactic to avoid THE CROWD works so d*mn well.


Now I have to start praying hard that members' of THE CROWD doesn't read my blog. Oh well...



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

LRT users says...
don't blame the crowd silly..
Don't u realise u are one of them-"the crowd"...hahaha :)

Grace Koh said...

LRT users are made up of some very passionate workers. They can't wait to get to the workplace, hence the pushing. :D