Goings On

I was really struck this morning by the repetition, normalcy and some of the quirkiness of everyday life - of people just doing what they do - getting on with getting on. I'm lucky, I only live about 10 kms from work and take the same route each day so it's a quick but always eventful trip.

It's interesting, as I'm waiting for the inordinately slow lights to change at three intersections, I have time to observe. And each morning, there is a strange ground hog day feeling as the same people, cars even dogs cross my path or at least walk the same route too. There are the local Government school kids - discernably different to their private school cousins who are all impeccably dressed. The Government school kids walk wildly and wobbly, chatting . . mostly in the same blue uniform, grey skirts and shorts and overstretched white socks. The only rebellion against such uniformity is expressed in wildly coloured and styled hair or bizarre shoes - all black - each with an individual twist.

Then there's the sinuey 40 something who runs up Showground road with vim, vigour and bouncing hair every morning. Rain hail or shine . . there she is in her badly fitting shorts. She's incredibly fit, not a skeric of fat, or muscle for that matter, just joggy thinness. I admire her tenacity but I hope she scrubs up a bit better after a shower and a shave.

Similarly, theres the well dressed middle eastern man who walks across to the post office at about 8:10 every morning - as he stands next to the pretty Polynesian Orthodontic Nurse from our building I just notice that he's impeccably groomed, tall, slightly bumless with that 50's thick groomed hair cut safely and squarely framed with slightly unfashionably lengthed side burns but tell ya, the man's proud of his appearance, has shirts ironed with knife-edge creases and has shiny shoes and an attitude to match.

There's also the kid from the local fish shop, his Aqua, fish logo'd shirt is a dead give away, as are the white gum boots which strangely don't smell as bad as they look. He's leaning against a lampost at the bus stop. Looking tired, bored and wiping premature lines from his brow. I actually know this kid and the drugs taken in his early teens have rendered him older than his age and in a lot of trouble with the law - it shows - he's trying to keep his nose clean these days and has just finished his community service - I give him a lift now and then so I'm lucky, he'll give me a discount next time I stock up with Atlantic Salmon!

So they're the regulars . . .along with the council worker that spends three days a week pressure hosing parrot poo from the pavement as the trees above him are roosting grounds for Rainbow Lorikeets, and the blind guy with the big black guide dog who manages to negotiate a five road junction, God knows how . . .and the girls outside the NAB who even though they've probably just left home, feel the need for a smoke before the day starts and finally, that crazy woman with the big backpack absolutely festooned with dangly stuffed animals . . .she's mad but she seems happy . . .ahh, the goings on . . .