Dandy Of The Orient

One of life’s events is a lifetime memory

I witnessed a man die. It was just another ordinary, hot,
moist and uncomfortable day in Hong Kong. The city I now excitingly call home.

It was about 6pm or just after. I was on my way home from Central after having collected my monthly life saving drugs from the pharmacy. School satchel slung over the right shoulder, a white sodden handkerchief wiping my brow with the left hand. Walking briskly to my home in need of air-conditioning. Dinner was already prepared. Andy was working late. There was commotion ahead.

As always at 5.30 Happy Valley gets congested, cars everywhere, the sound of impatient drivers using their car horns to vent frustration . A woman was standing near a taxi on her phone screaming is desperation. Her friend or her work colleague, whichever he was was not important, is looking into the taxi drivers window from outside. A crowd gathers and before to long one nurse runs up Village road. Happy Valley Sanatorium is just on the corner where the intersection is. Hence the congestion. She runs to the drivers door and opens his door. Evaluates the situation. The drivers head is slumped. Sirens could be heard. Drivers still sounding their cars horns in frustration. The taxi driver is dead.

Two policeman on bikes quickly come to the scene. An ambulance tries to get through but can’t. As I watched the commotion I could see straight into the front passengers window. Saliva was dribbling from the mans’ mouth. I felt uncomfortable with a million thoughts going trough my head. The Paramedics wheel a trolley to the scene, the ambulance is still caught up in traffic. Other medics arrive. There is urgency in the air. The man is lifted our of the taxi. A Rolls Royce is beside the taxi and held there by traffic police. The driver fixated. More people gather. Impatient drivers who can’t see what is ahead of them keep
banging their car horns. The woman is now crying into the phone.

My Thoughts were all encompassing there in that moment! Who was he? What happened? Was it his heart? Oh the poor man. His family? His Children? Grand kids? Who’s going to tell them? How long until his shift was over? So much dribble. What are these people looking at? Move on. Oh how undignified. Poor poor man. I was unnerved. Will you people stopping looking. Then in a split second I left the scene, walking briskly to my home. Head down and feeling ashamed. Nothing to see Tony, but one of life’s events. I wish they would stop using the car horns.

Be yourself ! Everyone else is taken - Oscar Wilde

My heart melts everytime.................