The metro doors slid open, and Arjun squeezed himself into the human tide, his laptop bag pressed like armour against the crowd.
The crowd stepped on a sandwich in a brown bag, and he wondered who would miss a meal.
He thought of his boss, a man who measured worth in missed lunches and late nights, and felt the weight of another day already clawing at him.
A child’s laughter cut through the metallic hum, reminding him of the smiling face and eager hands that would hug him in the evening.
The train lurched, bodies swayed, and he stepped out at his destination with a sense of victory – he had survived the chaos with his spirit intact.
Quite a lot happens during rush hour, and the meaning of life lies in unmindfulness.
I’ve been on one too many crowded subways. No place to sit, sharing the pole or handrails… There are many different ways to commute by train. I am glad not to have to deal with that anymore. Keeping sainty in such situations is a definite win.
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True.
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For inner peace, go within? The squeeze and tumble of the usual rush can become a protective wall if you can slide up a wall & block it.
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You described it well. Thank you, Liz!
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Always a pleasure to read you!
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😍😍
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Missed lunches and late nights do not make for more productive employees, and I wish there was a way to explain this to bosses.
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Setting tough parameters gives them a sadistic pleasure.
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I thought you were referring to the Mahabharata, Arjuna, not knowing that Arjun is a common Indian name. “ He had survived the chaos with his spirit intact” seems like that epic poem.
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I guess Arjuna’s spirit must have broken after the war. They are not known to be exceptional rulers after winning the kingdom.
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I for one cannot imagine life in any major urban center… the constant stream of people, the crush of humanity.
but, as you suggest, our inner lives are ours and we all have full freedom of travel…within
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You gave it a nice twist. Thank you, Clark!
The WFH culture has made many employees abandon metros and return to their hometowns, where life is easier.
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I like the thought of measuring worth in “missed lunches and late nights”.
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Corporate culture here is getting increasingly toxic, here. The young are choosing to migrate, but they face discrimination or second class citizenship there.
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Luckily people are usually quite quiet on the bus here except young people and some foreigners… And we have multiple buses and less people. I can’t imagine riding on a packed train or bus as such because they seem noisy and very uncomfortable…
I still wish it was always quiet and just today got annoyed at someone talking loud on a phone and kids in the back yelling and laughing…
Noisy…
But really it is nothing compared to things I have seen on TV…
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The population size, resources and culture – everything matters.
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I’m glad that I don’t have to cope with rush hour any longer. It’s a zoo.
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True. Thank you, Misky!
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So wise, and much to relate to.
Great writing, Reena.
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Thank you so much, Jude!
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My pleasure 🙏🏾
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Yes, a lot of little things can happen during rush hour. I seem to remember that!
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I remember many stories I heard in the Ladies Compartment, though it was a long time ago, and those ladies must have retired from their jobs.
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I’m just smiling about that…
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