Saturday 21 July 2012

Happiness Vs Sadness In A Day

I am sitting here in my landlady's dining room and it smells like durian. I like the smell of durian but this smell is probably what durian smells like to white people; annoyingly smelling. Yes, it smells like durian with a hint of annoyance. I haven't seen any durian in Vermont but I did see a skunk on the way home tonight...

I was cycling on the pedestrian pathway (eekk!) just round the corner from home. I was pretty happy to be close to home as it was already dark and I didn't think I'd make it at first. So, I paddled happy happy until I saw this animal super scurry past onto the main road and it lift its tail. I recognized it as Pepe Le Pew and I breaked, paddled quicker but tried not to be too quick in case I startled it further and it sprayed me!! I hear its spray makes people blind. Smell, fine, I can live with and probably I'd be conveniently unpopular at work.. but blind, NO! I was screaming whilst cycling. That's probably quite a sight for Vermonters (me, not the skunk) but good thing it was dark.

So, I didn't get sprayed. Why does it smell? Cos, the dog got sprayed. Silly thing. It was probably the same skunk I saw that sprayed the dog. And, so, he stinks... But not only did I get to see a skunk for the first time in my life, I get to smell it without being sprayed!

And, before I got home, I got lost.. in the darkness of Vermontian country. I was trying to get to a BBQ party but got lost. I did eventually find my way out of sheer determination with a sense of independence which was probably born out of stupidity. I was probably like a 10 minute cycle to my destination but when I decided to turn around because 1) I was already five hours late (read: work, bus, no car) and; 2) I skidded and fell off my bike. The latter made me realize that the last stretch was the most dangerous cos I literally could not see and the gravel gave no grip to my bike's tyres. The last thing I wanted was to like on a pitch black dirt road with long bone fractures and to be run over by a car T_T It would be such a tragic way to die although I'd have gotten to enjoy the stars and fireflies before dying that theoretical death...

So, yes. I did see stars again and I still love it. I still want to lie in a field in the middle of the night (much preferable with friends in the picture). And, I saw fireflies lighting up here and there too! They were kinda blue-ish like the colour of bluetooth but a little less intense. Wow, who would have thought. Fireflies in Vermont! Even in Malaysia they say the fireflies are less common now.. I so wouldn't be surprised if there were anymore fireflies. I have been telling my landlady how amazing it is that there are so many bugs here and she remains unimpressed with all the bugs.. I guess one learns to appreciate only when things are gone? You get the drift.

I saw a skunk and fireflies today! Plus stars. What a day.

Of course, I did feel a little scared, sad.. I dun actually know what I felt being in the dark. I thought I was probably more scared of bumping into some American psycho who'd kidnap me and kill me in the fields and nobody would know. I thought I was probably more scared of that than seeing some crazy reptile coming out from the grass. I mean, I freaked when I saw the skunk but I also was so impressed and was laughing and happy. I can't imagine myself laughing if I met an American psycho. And, of course I wish I bought a lamp for my bicycle...

Riding in the dark and failing to get to my destination wasn't the first transportation issue of the day. Earlier in the morning, I rode my bike to catch the shuttle. My heart dropped when the stop looked kinda deserted indicating that the shuttle probably wasn't running. I called switchboard and they were like, "Yes! There is no shuttle on the weekend". I was like OMG LATE 4 WORK! I asked for a cab company but the lady was so nice and said she will put me in touch with someone to gimme a ride. In London, the operator would have been like, "Serves u right" except maybe for the male operator who'd call me by my name as soon as he heard my voice! I got the work bang on schedule but seriously, my heart was like crying.

Transport made me cry x2 today.

Fireflies and skunk with a bonus of stars made me happy today!

Work was a different matter althogether so let's discount that.


I'll end with an insightful IDK what: If one wants it to rain, wash one's car. It is the mother of all Rain Dances.

No comments:

Post a Comment