Sunday, November 28, 2010

What does one not see? What is one missing?

How does she balance these socks on her head?  I marvel.  I even nod my head to the side, right then left, and try to see if she's got them all stuffed in a bucket or something, but I can't get any clearer of a picture of this gravity defying, precariously positioned, market-selling act - and she's walking through traffic no less!   The woman's got a good 3 dozen pairs of socks draped over each other, flopping over like rabbit ears or pairs of wilted flowers, in this colorful, elaborate display on her head.  Dare I ask for the red, marry Christmas pair on the bottom?
     An equally daring market woman, shuffles over to approaching vehicles with her open carton of 24 eggs.  In the US people seem to panic when placing 12 eggs on the top of a perfectly padded grocery bag, however, carrying 2 dozen eggs out in the open, in the hubbub of cross-roads traffic ?!? Accident ready to happen, or seasoned egg seller?  We drive off before I have a chance to see any memorable collisions.
    We pass shared-taxi vans loaded with people and sporting decals like: Madonna stickers.  I wonder how many decades will have to pass before all the Madonna stickers run out? There's also a kamikaze moto-rider heading straight into oncoming traffic. Our driver seems unfazed, and I am glad to not be driving in a country where maybe 3% of people have taken any sort of driving test.  I'm content to just sit back, giving up all responsibility, and assume that we'll make it from point A to point B just fine (and from time to time close my eyes). 
    There's a new semi truck pulling an empty bed, making a left turn into traffic.  The military guy sitting in the front seat with baret and pins shining in the sunlight sits tall, an unspoken assurance that everyone stops to let them pass.  Several young boys stand up on the moving bed, as if they're badasses ready for ...???  Does the military dude realize they're back there stealing his thunder?  And I'm wondering what this big rig is going to be used for.
    On the side of the road is a huge pile of watermelons looking like they've been dropped down from god - being such an obtrusive and funny place for an infinite supply of watermelons, it must be an act of the Divine.  A boy is sleeping on them, the guardian at the gate of luscious fruits. 
     Buildings along the side of the road make one wonder:  are they coming up or being torn down?  The new-style, cement workmanship is sketchy and circumspect.  I definitely wouldn't put my family on the 3rd floor.  Are these faux-lavish with their columns necessary?  Everyone the world over, keeping up with the Jones's.  Lets do some creative, eco-friendly city planning before this gets out of hand.  Or better yet, award all sustainable villages with an incognito thatch-roofed Internet cafe and an AC community center (wishful thinking)
     

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