I habitually listen to the ABC.

I hear stories like ones about driving in a luxury car. The stories are about the joy and fun and delight of driving in a luxury car. The reporter regales about the pleasure of travelling in a beautiful car. What joy.

I hear another story about an old person who manages to get her licence. She is now free. She can drive anywhere any time.  She has control of her life. The story said that a car and driving licence equals freedom.

Another story about a guy who managed to get a local bus to pick him up. The story is about a young guy achieving something. By writing to people who could achieve something. Not about the luxury of sitting in the comfort of an air-conditioned bus. Instead of walking in the natural, fresh open air.

One day, on the afternoon show, the topic for the day was pedestrian crossings: A jam of car drivers rang up and complained about pedestrians. Many examples of pedestrians behaving badly. They gave me many ideas on ways in which I could behave badly.

Not one pedestrian ran up and said: Our cities are planned around cars, roads and carparks. Walkers have a small window of access to the car’s roads. Be happy to share your road.

My conclusion is the media reflects and follows a society which loves cars and hates walking. If you walk you a loser. Homeless, carless and unfortunate.  Please note the words carless and careless are not synonymous

There is no money in walking. There is money in of cars and bicycles. They are both represented by organisations. No organisation for city walkers. Nobody to represent people who walk to the local shop, walk to school or walk to work. Society and the media can ignore those losers.

Meanwhile back in the real world, people continue to give me a lift and say: I will give you a lift so you won’t have to walk.  The implication is walking is bad. Riding in a car is good.

And the second thing they often say is: You don’t have to walk; you can ride a bike or a scouter. In other words, you can get wheels to prevent the ignominy of walking.

I am not negative about people who find happiness sitting above revolving wheels. I find pleasure in walking in nature and listening to the ABC. Others can find their own way to the mountain top. 

Take them on a drive

 Are you thinking of getting married?

Before you swap rings sit in the passenger’s seat. In the driver’s seat is your potential spouse. The pedestrians don’t know their name. The other driver can’t hear what your partner says. Sitting above all, nobody will see their behaviour. Except for you.

Watch the way they treat pedestrians.

Do they patiently wait for them to cross? Or do they inch forward while they’re still on the crossing, making them hurry, irritated by their existence.

Watch what happens when someone cuts them off.

Do they laugh at it? Or does their entire body stiffen, jaw tighten, hands white on the wheel, saying what they will do to that driver.

Do they overtake constantly, not because they are in a hurry, but because being behind someone is unacceptable? 

Do they speed up to stop someone passing?

What happens when the traffic is slow? A stop-go person says stop. Do they accept it, enjoy the view,  the radio or grab the steering wheel, frustrated at stopping.

That is your unique view of the future. Imagine living with this person when thing go wrong. How will they behave?

Your life together will involve other people. Most of these other people are not perfect. They are not always aware of your carefully laid-out plans. A trip in a car will give you a view of your future. You can either go forward take it or take the exit lane.

 

The perfect shot

When playing tennis I search for the perfect shot.

I kindly and carefully hit the ball back. My opponent hits the ball out. Not good. Next ball I hit the ball back to her backhand. My opponent mishits the ball. The ball hits the top of the net and dribbles over. She wins the point. Once again not perfection.

The clouds skim across the sky. Hiding the sun. Overcast. I can see the ball without squinting. I can relax my eyes and forget about what I can’t see. The sun.

Another game begins with me receiving serve. I wait for the server to grab the ball. Balanced on my toes, swinging my racquet. I watch the server. I bury deep inside her head read how she is about to serve. I feel perfectly balanced. My foot points towards the ball. I stare at the ball as it bounces in the serving box. I swing my racquet back, my foot points towards the ball, swing my racquet forward, hit the ball and send the ball back fast and top spinning inches inside the baseline.  My perfect shot is hit back to me by her perfect shot. My turn to hit another perfect shot which she will return. It is becoming a good rally. 

The ball connects us. In a dance. A dance where we all watch the ball and other players and dance in response.

The rally continues. The ball comes to my forehand. I dance towards the ball. Stand. Move my foot pointing to where the ball will land and swing my racquet back. The obvious play is to go deep to her backhand. Can I pretend to go deep and simultaneously drop the ball over the net. A short drop shot. 

Both of us are stretched to our limits. I don’t think I can continue but I do. I concentrate and focus and surprise myself. I concentrate on nothing but getting the ball back. A perfect rally. Both of us need each other. Both of us aim to win. When we have a perfect rally, we both win.

A bird lands on the fence. The bird surveys all. She sees what she wants and flies off. Flapping silently and swooping towards a grassy area.

Today I have achieved my aim. A perfect shot on perfect courts surrounded by perfect nature. A light breeze, mild sun, active tweeting birds and a stray rabbit.