Whizzer

We're on the train again, a route done a few times already. The lights whizz by, always in straight lines, always till the glass starts to warp the light into the nothingness of the window frame. The lights are like fireflies perched on leaves, while I cycle madly through the forest, yes, at night. A light is hope in the darkness, a signal for your loved one to come home safely to. A warning for the demons to stay at ten paces and not approach for fear of their own oblivion. Cos even demons fear oblivion.

Different coloured lights, some burning like fire others burning the synthetic wick inside, fueled by the rare gases that make up our own intake too. Whites as hot as 6 watts and silvery blue burn holes in my eyes and leave their children behind, like a mother wasp. Only these children are quickly smeared and their messy entrails leave long stains down the direction I'm going. I'm not in control of this bicycle, instead, its the space between the lights that guide my vehicle down a path that I know of, but can't control.

I had a wonderful evening. It's 12PM, I'm on an hourlong train out of London to my tireless bed in Newbury. My evening was shared with my chinese colleagues and one special spanish dear, Alesha. We invaded a crampy italian restaurant a stone's throw away from the corner of James and Bond Street in central London. The food was great, but then I've always been a sucker for Lasagna, just like Garfield. It wasn't long before the topic of chinese names came up, and how to draw (or rather write) your name in chinese. Often, like in native american culture, the chinese give associative names to their western peers. While Alesha went outside to grab a smoke, I asked my comrades for Alesha's chinese name. "Li Wei" they said, or rather, "Lee Way". On a clean napkin with a special pen, Jing scribed Alesha's name with artistic flair. Alesha got back and we presented her with her new name. Li Wei means: Beautiful Smile. Alesha wore her name with great fervour.

Soon the tables were turned, and the topic of my own name came up. "Shaun" is very similar to a chinese word for the 9th layer of sky. "Tian Xiao" or, reaching for the sky with great speed. A metaphor for my experience on this trip. Jing later remakred, that because I was so tall, my name had more meaning that just the sound of Shaun in chinese. Mmm, cheesy. :)