The Marathon
How’d I get into this? I’ve never done a marathon. Okay, it’s only supposed to be one of those short ones. I’m not even dressed for it. I do have on my new sneakers that I got here in Hong Kong at a sporting goods store. It was the largest size they had ever sold. But other than the shoes, I’m not in running or walking attire. I have on some comfortable shorts and a golf shirt.
At least, the same can be said for most contestants around me. People are in any kind of attire. And everyone is closing in tighter as race time gets closer. The crowd is really growing. It already has to be hundreds deep behind me. A light is flashing red and looks like one of those drag strip “Christmas Trees” preparing to go to green.
You can feel the tension in the crowd. Folks behind me are pressing closer in on all sides. I can’t help but move in closer to the people ahead of me as the front runners try to brace in a take-off position.
As the light flashes green, we’re off! The crowd breaks into a frenzy of pedestrians with a single aim ahead in their sights. A young guy comes around me in a gallop. Then a lady rolls past me swiping me with a huge shopping bag. A shopping bag? Suddenly I’m right upon another lady with a baby in her arms! A baby! Carrying a baby here? But wait…. There’s a stroller with a toddler beside her too! Unbelievable.
Oh no! Up ahead there is confusion! Our peleton is in trouble. What is that? It looks like…….. Could it be? It has to be…… It’s another marathon coming right into us!! People are dodging right and left. The stroller is being met head-on by another stroller. Bags are being banged into my body from all sides. People are faking right and cutting left. They’re bouncing off each other like bumper cars as they head in their opposite directions. It’s chaotic right here at the start of this thing.
Just when I think it can’t get any worse, a bell starts ringing. The pace quickens. Folks behind me are pressing and passing on all sides. The marathon from the opposite direction is quickening too. The bell picks up its pace in some kind of countdown, as people are racing to get up on the curb ahead!
A marathon? Okay, you know I wouldn’t be in a marathon! But my description is as close as I can write about the activity that happens daily in many places in Hong Kong. And it even repeats itself every few minutes.
It’s the crossing of major streets. I’ve never seen anything like it. I bet more people cross Hennessy Road in an hour, than live in Rulfton! Just look at the pictures below to see what I mean. That is just one crossing when the light changes! Two marathons running right into each other is about the best I can relate to describe this event!
posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 8:56 AM
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