Slumbers galore. Though mostly nodding in the similar way, these passengers prove to be sleepers from different background. Some prop their head upon their hand in the gesture of a philosopher; some cross their hands together and rest them upon the thigh, with their head lowering down, in a meditation posture that is much like a Buddhist monk; and some just comfortably spread-eagle themselves, snoring thunderingly loud-- quite making themselves at home. Of course, some people like me are wide-awake. Three children, unrestricted by their parents, seem to play hide-and-seek happily, taking the other passengers, willy-nilly, as pillars for hiding. Reluctant to join their game, I step aside, deliberately exposing the two naughty "prey" to the hunter. Right beside me stand two loud speakers, utterly unaware of the sound sleepers (so are they!) around. One, presumably an American, speaks fluent, yet somewhat pointless, English in a sentimental coarse tone, and his interlocutor, apprently a Taiwanese, replies frequently with almost the same monosyllabic answer: yeah. To get away from the hubbub within, I turn my head aside, looking out through the rain-streaked window. Outside the MRT coach quietly lies a scene, more precisely, a scene sharply contrasting the inside. It holds me in awe: mountains, near and far, are dotted with countless tombs, and the emerald slope is densely populated with motley graves-- here, there, and everywhere. At this very moment, I find myself stuck between two worlds which in a sense belong to the same circle.... I can's help associating the rushing MRT cabin with the life train that is always in a headlong dash forward; we passengers upon it sometimes just have not too much choice of where to go, so readiness is often the all. Slowly, the MRT train pulls in. The tetrilingual broadcast awakes even the amazlingly undisturbed slumbers and galvanizes everyone into action. Suddenly, all kinds of noises-- children's excited scream, tedious whistle, cell-phone buzzings....-- all come flooding to me. Plunged back into the real world, I cease my mediation, armor myself up, and elbow my way through the hustle and bustle. --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 140.119.29.38