|
On my way home from school yesterday, I observed the
familiar bustle of lunch-hour slowly winding down. Office workers, having
had their quick meals at nearby cafés, stalls, or restaurants, were making
their way back—some on foot in lively groups, others stuck in the usual
traffic jam in their cars.
What caught my attention most was a group of young office ladies stepping
out of a sidewalk café. They looked as if they had just walked off a fashion
runway—stylishly dressed, faces impeccably made up, and laughter filling the
air. A few of them paused at a roadside stall to buy freshly cut local
fruits like papaya and pineapple, which they carried away in plastic bags as
they chatted on.
As I approached a busy shopping complex, I noticed another crowd: housewives
with children in tow, their arms full of shopping bags, waiting for taxis to
take them home after a morning of retail therapy.
Not far from them, a cluster of schoolchildren had surrounded the Magnolia
ice-cream vendor. Business was booming under the hot afternoon sun. The
children looked delighted as they enjoyed their colorful treats, each
licking up the sweetness of their favorite flavor.
Then I walked past a durian stall, where the king of fruits was stacked in
tall piles. Eager buyers were selecting their fruits and trying to negotiate
prices, though the vendor seemed quite uninterested in entertaining their
offers. Nearby, a man squatting on the sidewalk was peddling traditional
medicine, drawing a small crowd of curious onlookers with his loud claims
and strange-looking bottles.
Eventually, I turned into a quieter street, the noise and rush gradually
fading behind me. As I reached the peaceful road leading to my house, I felt
a sense of relief—it was good to be home again. |
