Wrong. One of the things that's really surprised me is that people here move at a pace that would make glaciers seem in an unseemly hurry. Continental drift moves faster than some of the people on the streets. I was trying to get on the MTR the other morning behind a guy who literally couldn't move any slower because if he did he wouldn't be moving at all. I've got beard-hair that moves at a faster pace than that guy.
Perhaps it's the weather; we've had a run of days with heat in the low thirties and humidity in the eighties - which is a pretty big incentive not to move at all, never mind quickly. Just thinking about moving in that kind of heat makes me break out in a sweat. However, one of the key reasons for the slow pace is that people in Hong Kong (not all of them but enough of a minority to make it difficult for the rest of us) aren't looking where they're going.
Now if you tried to walk down a busy street with your eyes closed, you'd probably think one of two things. You'd either think "hmm... I'd better walk really slowly" or you'd think "this is stupid - I should open my eyes and look where I'm going." Hong Kongers do this a lot but instead of having their eyes closed, they're peering at the tiny screens of phones or tablets - they're playing bubble games or angry birds or watching last night's TV or a music video or they're texting a friend. And in some cases, doing all of those things at the same time: all whilst trying to navigate a crowded street. And instead of doing the sensible* thing ("Look where you're going!" screamed the tall gwailo, in impotent rage) they walk really slowly.
Still, this slow pace does give me a chance to read what's written on their tee-shirts and I've collected another few of my favourites:
- Watchoes around comes around
I don't know what a watcho is but there's probably one coming soon...
- I could be more control but I don't want to be
Could you be more grammar, instead?
- Language is pleasant
Why yes, yes it is - especially the way you're using it here
- Bite me, beat me, kiss me, love me
I honestly don't know what to say about that one.
And now ladies and gentlemen, I'm coming the the end of my collection. I'm going to stop posting these tee-shirts here because (a) despite what I say and my honest intentions, I think it probably is a bit patronising and (b) I don't think I'm going to get any better examples than the next two.
So, in reverse order, my favourite tee shirts are:
I like this one because, when you boil all of man's philosophies down, I don't think you can get a better summary than this...
Which means we have a winner. The best one I've seen - well, my favourite, anyway, is...
*ie, the thing I would do.
