Alright. This is a bit lame but I'm feeling double guilt. One for neglecting my blog. And two for neglecting my promise (recently inspired by a friend) to go on a partial digital fast. This is just a copy paste email. But its one of the better email's I've written recently so I'm publishing it.
I was walking and in Korea there are like 500 people in visiible-motion at any given second. And most of them are in groups of four or five or ten. Some of the groups have minds of their own--some are oblivious. Like a giant comet from space--noisy, firey (having just eaten kimchi) and full of yes, I admit brilliant light. Ok I'm stretching this analogy a bit. Anywho when they decide to move in a group like that you just have to get out of the way. Sometimes they'll conglomerate right at the narrow entrance you have to pass through to be to work on time. 20 of them at the entrance of the subway--like giant clogged artery. And you are just a skinny blood cell trying to squeeze through the mayhem without inhaling too much second hand smoke. Half way down the stares the tsunami hits. 1 minute and 30 seconds ago, 200 feet down a morning train arrived and 800 people poured out of its train carts and have now made their way to the last staircase which you just happen to be going down. It's 800 to 1 here. Yeah, its like swimming against the current in a really big river. Ah! If only I had come 1 minute 30 seconds sooner. You might take an elbow or knee here and there but more than that just the rush of people makes your head spin. But you make it.
about a minute after you get down to the platform a train arrives--except this one is city bound and no one in its sardine packed carts gets off. You turn your back to the mob as the doors slide open and wriggle yourself into the heap butt first. The doors close and almost clip your nose. If only I was an Asian! The old woman behind you has her hand on your butt now but there is nothing either of you can do about it because there is no where to go. So you just turn on your i-pod and try to forget about it. You fall asleep standing up with grannys hand on your bum and dream of a bus in alaska--and you can smell the fresh air off the stream below. All is quiet. You run down to the steam for a quick dip and just as you're taking the plunge the doors to the subway open and without even moving your legs you're carried forward on a wave of people moving toward an escalator. If you don't run with the crowd you'll be trampled first and then wait in a five minute line to ride up. So you run, dodging grandmas and business men and breifcases. And you're thanking God you're still under 30 and can beat the crowd. You get to the top of the stares and turn around and look at the mass of people down below. You point your finger at them and yell take that Society!! Society!! Society!!!!!!!!
(*reference: call of the wild)
