Random Thoughts by Pauline

October 14 Tuesday     

 Make my day!

It was early in the morning when I drove to school. Traffic was brisk. When I stopped at the red light, I noticed the car next to me had the hazard lights on. It was clear that the lights were not meant to be on. Perhaps the driver had earlier signalled to stop and had forgotten to turn off the lights after he had pulled out. Without any hesitation, I turned my head to the left and gestured to the driver with an exaggerated version of “sparking”! He got it, smiled and saluted me to thank me! I felt great!

What a nice way to start a day! Doing somebody I don’t know a favour is actually doing myself a favour. Once my mother remarked that when I got behind the wheel, I grumbled a lot. It was only then that I realized I had joined the road rage regime. Hong Kong drivers though relatively civilized do misbehave such as tailing, sounding horns, cutting lanes and not signalling etc. Upon my mother’s advice, I drive much more courteously and the calmness it brings is blissful. 

 

Random Thoughts by Pauline

October 13 2014 Monday

  Heart broken

Though born in Shanghai, I have lived in Hong Kong for over 65 years. In all these years, I have experienced cholera outbreaks, water shortage, extreme poverty, riots, economic downturns, SARS and other ups and downs but never have I felt disappointed and heartbroken as I do now!

 

I was in Mongkok on Saturday for a medical appointment. As I exited MTR Station, there right in front of me was the stunning scene that has been on screen for over 10 days – tents and barricades right across Nathan Road that used to be covered by vehicles of all kinds! Stunning because as I stood there, I felt numb!

 

In the name of “democracy”, 7 million citizens have been held hostage! If we don’t pity those shop operators paying horrendous monthly rents of millions of dollars, then how about those commoners like taxi driver, construction workers, truck drivers, street hawkers and plenty more who live from hand to mouth? Their income has been brutally cut! Schools have been closed! Parents whose young children should be in school have their work schedule upset! Our highly respected police have to stand there to “protect” the protesters who are blatantly breaking the law! Maybe in the name of democracy, these are small “prices” to pay! But they have been forced into paying for a cause they don’t agree! As to the young students who have been holding onto their fortresses in the street, they have given up their studies which are heavily subsidized by tax payers and they are inconveniencing those who still go to classes as professors prefer not to teach in view of the small number of turn-up.

 

My heart aches as I don’t know how this is going to end. When the ransom asked for has been pitched to be simply non-deliverable, these demonstrators are not going to take a bow and leave the stage that easily. Their ultimate agenda is yet to be revealed.