JessamyPublic transport insights
April 14th 2008 06:22
I believe I'm somehwta cursed by the public transport seating gods; if there's the slighest chance that there's one seat left, I'll never score it, and if I do, I'll be sitting next to the socially challenged/ bodily odoured challenged/ most well rounded person in the damn carriage.
However, occasionally it's worth putting up with this, becase I'll overhear some of the weirdest conversations ever formed by the human mouth, and Saturday was no exception.
I was on a train travelling into the city, and was sitting opposite a guy about my age, and behind two Aboriginal men aged in their mid 20's. The men were loud, and were drinking out of bottles from paper bags-they were on the grog. There's no judgement in there, just a statement. And before you ask how I knew it was alcohol, I could smell the beer. I mean, I'd drink too if I thought it'd make my journey with Connex quicker, to be honest, so I can't blame them.
Anyway, the guy opposite was clearly not as comfortable with these men's presence as I was-he kept glancing at them, and ignoring their increasingly loud behaviour. However, I was deliberately listening in to what they were saying, because they were giving me little insights into some important things.
Firstly, they were discussing the recent apology by the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Aboriginals of Australia. Their opinion here basically was sure, an apology was good, but they'd also like rent money for the last 200 years (fair enough) and they'd like some of that land back (sure).
They were talking in fairly loud voices, and probably fuelled by the beer. However, then they moved onto whether that geneneration (ie the people 50 ) genuinely meant it when they said sorry. They decided they didn't really, but perhaps the younger generation (ie mine) one day would. Then the men speculated whether my generation would step up to the plate and do something about the current issues facing the Aboriginal people today. All the while the guy opposite me was tuning out to them, trying to ignore their voices. Whethers I was still listening in.
And if that situation isn't a perfect example of what might happen in the future, then I don't know what is. Our generation does need to listen in, whether it be on public transport or in the Houses of Parliament-we can't afford to simply dismiss what people are saying based on their appearance or their background.
I'll step down from my little soapbox now, sorry y'all!
However, occasionally it's worth putting up with this, becase I'll overhear some of the weirdest conversations ever formed by the human mouth, and Saturday was no exception.
I was on a train travelling into the city, and was sitting opposite a guy about my age, and behind two Aboriginal men aged in their mid 20's. The men were loud, and were drinking out of bottles from paper bags-they were on the grog. There's no judgement in there, just a statement. And before you ask how I knew it was alcohol, I could smell the beer. I mean, I'd drink too if I thought it'd make my journey with Connex quicker, to be honest, so I can't blame them.
Anyway, the guy opposite was clearly not as comfortable with these men's presence as I was-he kept glancing at them, and ignoring their increasingly loud behaviour. However, I was deliberately listening in to what they were saying, because they were giving me little insights into some important things.
Firstly, they were discussing the recent apology by the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Aboriginals of Australia. Their opinion here basically was sure, an apology was good, but they'd also like rent money for the last 200 years (fair enough) and they'd like some of that land back (sure).
They were talking in fairly loud voices, and probably fuelled by the beer. However, then they moved onto whether that geneneration (ie the people 50 ) genuinely meant it when they said sorry. They decided they didn't really, but perhaps the younger generation (ie mine) one day would. Then the men speculated whether my generation would step up to the plate and do something about the current issues facing the Aboriginal people today. All the while the guy opposite me was tuning out to them, trying to ignore their voices. Whethers I was still listening in.
And if that situation isn't a perfect example of what might happen in the future, then I don't know what is. Our generation does need to listen in, whether it be on public transport or in the Houses of Parliament-we can't afford to simply dismiss what people are saying based on their appearance or their background.
I'll step down from my little soapbox now, sorry y'all!
| 68 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
