The melody of the rain synchronizes the frequency of urban people

Early in the morning, Kaohsiung suddenly began to rain heavily. People in Kaohsiung who are not used to the rain are in a hurry. But the heavy rain also narrowed the distance between strangers and synchronized the frequency of urban people.

When I went out early in the morning, I hesitated. Take the bus as usual? Or drive? Thinking of the many cars and chaotic road conditions in rainy days, the rain will finally find a parking space and get wet when walking. Just take the bus.

When they came to the bus station, people stood on the edge of the arcade with umbrellas and waited for the bus. Everyone was a little embarrassed by the heavy rain when they went out early in the morning. But there are also some similarities between strangers.

Collect umbrellas, get on the bus, stand still, swipe your card, and find a seat. Although Kaohsiung people are not used to rain, the rhythm of everyone getting on the bus is very natural. In the compartment, the floor is covered with rainwater flowing down the passenger’s umbrella. For a moment, it reminded me of Taipei.

I worked in Taipei for a year more than 20 years ago. I have to take a bus to go to and from get off work every day, and I have to change buses. Nearly an hour each way. Every morning at six o’clock, I go out with an umbrella and take the bus. The winter in Taipei is wet and cold. To this day, I still remember the dark, wet, gloomy, and crowded carriages.

Because of this rain, the strangers on the bus had a common topic. An elder told the driver where she was going and where she was going to get off. After the driver finished answering, he told her that she could also get off the bus in advance and take another route, which would take a little less time.

She said that would not be a long wait. An elder in another part of the carriage checked for her and talked to her for ten minutes. She said that it is better to take this bus directly, just get off and walk over. It took ten minutes to get there.

Then everyone chatted. The elders can really talk. From electric buses to hydrogen energy to superconductors, from Internet memes about Tsai Ing-wen controlling typhoons to water shortages in Kaohsiung. Everyone said that although the rain caused many inconveniences, they still hoped that there would be more rain.

It was raining heavily when we got off at the station. Moving outdoors in this weather, wearing a pair of shoes that can wade will save a lot of trouble. Of course the pants will be wet. But everyone who gets out of the car has to walk into the rain, and everyone on the street does that, which is actually okay.

With such a sudden heavy rain, it is inevitable to accumulate water, and it is also inevitable to step into the water. Just don’t be splashed by the water (should be said to be waves) splashed by the passing cars and motorcycles.

The return bus station has a canopy. The area is not big, and the rain will still pour in. But it’s always nice to have some protection from the rain. While waiting for the bus, a young man came to ask if I had any toilet paper, apparently to wipe my glasses. I gave him some from my bag. Heavy rain is indeed troublesome, but it also brings strangers closer.

I think of the heavy rain in mid-June. That return trip was not suitable for raining for some reason, so I took Xiao Huang instead. It was super difficult to call a car, and it took a few minutes to call. After waiting for a while, the driver called and said that he had just picked up the taxi when he picked up the customer nearby, but unfortunately encountered a big traffic jam. After receiving me, he said he was sorry to keep me waiting for a long time. I said that this kind of weather is sure to call a car, and if it is saved, it is a perfect score. Really, five stars on the system as soon as you get off the bus.

The heavy rain synchronizes the frequency of urban people, including the matter of “hiding from the rain”. Many people will wait and see at the exit of the building, hoping to wait for the rain to subside before leaving. Normally, there is a constant flow of people, but in rainy days, there will be more synchronous pauses.

The rain stopped in the afternoon. It felt like the concert was over. After the show ended, people returned to their original rhythm.

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