Cityscape

Its dark and gloomy. Claustrophobic if I may say so. I know there is light outside, there is air outside. But none here. Everything goes by so quickly, diminishing into nothingness. Its all moving fast, but why do I feel like I'm stuck in the same place? I'm beginning to get uncomfortable, and I start counting. 1, 2, 3, 4,....

At the count of 47, the bus finally leaves the long tunnel. Phew. The light, although neon, makes me smile. The air, although polluted, seems refreshing. I look at the city, and then the traffic. And then my watch. The traffic never stands still here, but the crawling speed is even more irritating at times. Atleast for impatient people like me. 2 more busstops, and then I'm off...

It is a bright, busy road. As I alight, I get strange looks. Yes, I am a stranger here. And strangers dont use public transport in a new city. A little disoriented, I look around to get my bearings. Too many signboards and too many people. The brightness of these neon lights is an illusion. They are there to distract you. Distract you from the dilapidation that you would notice if you looked up just that extra minute. But you dont. You know you would see the crumbling walls and the makeshift scaffoldings. But you still dont look.

I make my way to the tram stop. Its not difficult to find. I just had to look for the lines on the road. The simplicity of the system is like a promise which never fails. I get on. Rattling, shaking, moving. It is so out of place. Like a bull in a china shop. Strange isnt it, since it was there in the shop, even before anything else arrived. It used to be the artery. Now, its an antique.

6 minutes and a few shaken bones later, I'm ready to walk. Throngs of people are walking with me. Everyone here seems to be walking with a purpose. Everyone is headed somewhere. Somewhere meaningful. Its the end of the day. End of the week infact. Yet they look excited. There is a certain energy here, which I've not seen or felt before. Everything is on the move. And it moves fast.

The lights outside are bright. 11pm seems like 9. There is no urgency to end the day. Couples, families, loners... all still walking. Still living. Still enjoying the neon illusions. As a child who did not grow up in a big city, I always used to hear from people about the 'buzz' of a metropolitan. Maybe now I wont wonder what that buzz is.

Its 3 in the morning, and the lights are still bright. The taxis are still driving by. The people are still walking. The city is still breathing.

As I wait for dawn... I know - This city never sleeps.