Life in flickering motion

There's 86400 seconds given to us everyday, and a million ways to manipulate it. But really, how many of those seconds do we actually make use of? We spend most of it to ourselves, sulking in thought, visualizing, sometimes trying to objectify. But if only we knew a way to make maximum use of time, can we? Nah, if you can do it, call me up right now. For a fact I know that if I try making any schedules it's gonna end up being a lost cause, i'm just going to feel berated at the end of the day. I'd rather live my life in moments.

Getting off the bus at Borella junction, I pass by a lot of people, correction a lot of people pass by me. But none has a second to spare to even look at another. Once you get on that pavement, you are just being carried forward involuntarily, if you stop for a second someones gonna bump into you. I've actually had people bump into me, one too many times. hehe.

Part of my daily routine for the last few years has been waiting on the side of the road, for a 170 (Fort-Athurugiriya) or 190 (Fort-Meegoda) bus. I personally like the 190, it's more crowded allright, but boy is it fast. So, of those 86400 seconds I get in a day, a fair share should be given to the time I spend standing on the same spot, leaning forward to see which bus is coming along. Then I move onto doing the same thing, this time inside the bus and leaning forward to search for the seat that empties the fastest. (And occasionally eyeing around for any chicks, another lost cause =P) Yesh I end up, standing the whole ride through. The funniest, and most annoying part is that when I eventually get a seat, my halt is the one ahead. Pfft.

I look around. There are the lovers, the guy who does all the talking, soft words and cheesy exchange of smiles. Then comes the girl on the phone for the entire ride, her facial expressions oppose her words. Then the man who sings for coins, gosh go to Superstar or something and rid our ears of the misery. But there was once a flutist who played the most solemn tunes, that time I popped a 20 rupee note i guess. Then comes the many vendors, crappy childrens books and stale oranges mainly. And the beggars, same story, crappy lies and stale faces. Heck you give me those books and oranges, I'll sell them in no time! I know every catch phrase they use by heart.

But now when I recall them, these people are familiarized. It's like we all share the same 86400 seconds between us. Once again the struggle for life isn't it? The lovers, The singers, The vendors, The beggars, The bus conductor (constantly sending or rather hauling people to the front), The people moving on the pavement, and Me, we are all struggling for life. And when it comes to dealing with our emotions and our problems, we are all on the same bus. Aren't we?