Today I was in the op shop and I noticed an older eastern man carrying a framed picture of a motor bike. It was the kind of picture that men like to have on the wall and wives like to throw away.
As I walked past him he showed me the picture and told me he used to have a motor bike exactly the same. I asked him if he was going to buy it, but he misunderstood me and thought I was asking if he was going to buy another motor bike. I didn't correct him and he want on to say "no I can't buy another one. You cannot buy your youth. It is gone. It would be like wanting to ride a motorcycle on the moon. There is no point".
In his own words he told me that the motorbike represented being young, dating, freedom, no responsibilities etc. He said it was horrible getting old and being alone when your friends have died.
He said he returned to Singapore 10 years ago after being gone for 30 years. He looked up some of his old friends, about 30 of them used to ride in a group together, but they were not bikies he insisted. He said most of them had changed and it was sad.
Our conversation finished so I wished him well and went on my way. I wonder if he bought the picture.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Stranger Danger
Last night at 11.15 pm I had to go to the station to pick up my daughter. She has been working at the Australian Open. I walked up on to the platform to meet her and she told me the train was late because someone had overdosed. A young couple were walking nearby with their alco pops in their hand and the female asked my daughter what happened.
We went to the car and as we were getting in, I noticed the young couple standing on the corner looking lost. I asked them if they were ok and they asked what train line they were on, they had missed their station. I asked where they needed to go and I looked at my daughter, she nodded, so I asked the couple if they wanted a lift. They were concerned it was out of our way, but I insisted.
The four of us had a chat while driving and I think even in that short journey they managed to give my daughter some life tips regarding career, travel etc. We dropped them off and they tried to give us petrol money, I refused, but they threw it on the back seat as they shut the car door and ran across the road to their nightclub.
My daughter grabbed it and said "lets go to McDonalds mum".
She knew I was going to offer them a lift because a few weeks ago I told her I had given a lift to two teenage girls that had also ended up on the wrong train for a second time. At the time, she couldn't decide if she was mad at me or mad at the girls for getting in with a stranger.
We went to the car and as we were getting in, I noticed the young couple standing on the corner looking lost. I asked them if they were ok and they asked what train line they were on, they had missed their station. I asked where they needed to go and I looked at my daughter, she nodded, so I asked the couple if they wanted a lift. They were concerned it was out of our way, but I insisted.
The four of us had a chat while driving and I think even in that short journey they managed to give my daughter some life tips regarding career, travel etc. We dropped them off and they tried to give us petrol money, I refused, but they threw it on the back seat as they shut the car door and ran across the road to their nightclub.
My daughter grabbed it and said "lets go to McDonalds mum".
She knew I was going to offer them a lift because a few weeks ago I told her I had given a lift to two teenage girls that had also ended up on the wrong train for a second time. At the time, she couldn't decide if she was mad at me or mad at the girls for getting in with a stranger.
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