Over a stormy sky

Mortality

Today, on an unremarkable thursday morning in the middle of an unremarkable month of June, on an unremarkable road shoulder on an expressway in an insignificant part of Singapore, a motorist got into an accident and died.

As traffic slowed to a crawl and my car silently cruised past the accident site, I saw a large, silver sheet draped over something on the road. Blood was still seeping slowly out from within the cover sheet, soaking into the ground.

Somewhere, on this unremarkable thursday morning, somebody's loved ones will receive terrible news that will shatter their hearts and turn their life upside down, forever.

I'm sure everyone who passed by that morning would have had a moment's grief for the tragic loss of life. Then, life goes back to normal. The radio DJs chatter on over the airwaves, blissfully unaware. Cars pass out of the gridlock and zoom off, carrying their drivers and passengers to work, Thoughts are already turning towards the day's shuffling of papers and pushing of pencils. There are emails to send and read. Lunch locations to decide on. Colleagues to gossip with.

Still, in that short moment of sorrow, it served to remind me of the preciousness and fragility of life. Anytime, it could suddenly come to an end, cutting short all your hopes and dreams and unfufilled goals. It is the clearest warning yet that what you put off till tomorrow, either out of laziness, or fear, or procrastination, or just sheer confidence that you have time yet.... well... you may never get to tomorrow.

***

On another road-related incident, as I was driving home on the ECP this evening, I was shocked to see an old lady sitting on the white line of the expressway road shoulder, just down the end of benjamin sheares bridge towards the Changi direction. She looked dazed and confused as she stared at the oncoming traffic, shielding her eyes with one hand against what must be the blinding glare of the vehicle headlights.

Never have I been so frightened that she'd just tumble out onto the road and into my path. I gave her a wide berth by cutting out from the leftmost lane and halfway into the 2nd.

Why are there so many unfortunate souls in frightful situations today?

posted by Tempest Blue @ 9:38 PM