Traditional and Complimentary

I had to attend the Traditional & Complimentary Medicine Exhibition at PWTC yesterday. I couldn’t bike that far, so without the car, I took public transportation - bus from home to Klang town, and the commuter train from Klang town to Putra station, which is a walking distance to PWTC.

The bus ride was nostalgic. I still remember the times when we used to see conductors who carried a sling bag for coins, held thick staple bound multi-coloured tickets while expertly secured ringgit bills between his fingers. We don’t see them anymore these days.

I also realized that there is no such thing as Chinese bus drivers. If there is, it’d be rare. You’d know your driver is Malay when he turns on RadioERA. And you can tell if it is an Indian driver as he will, to his own don’t-give-a-rat’s-ass satisfaction, turn on the Tamil radio station. All these, in sync sometimes with body odor and the occasional scent of sesame oil annoy you tremendously but drown your pride and arrogance. Bus rides humble you.

The bus is THE traditional and complimentary tool for relearning civic and strengthening your character. My children may have learned civic in school but never had real-life civic awareness of surrendering one’s seat for the disabled, elderly or moms with babies. Understanding is the most beautiful language. What is understood need not be said.

My children will ride their bicycles or take public transportation from now on. A tough Hijrah, but not an impossible one.