跟一位很投緣的朋友 (不投緣當得了朋友嗎? XD) 聊天。她說她很喜歡也很想念台北,擁擠但有秩序,人跟人間有種奇妙的疏離感,可以很自在的在人群中做自己。當時我只回我不行(特別是像忠孝復興站這種多條捷運路線交會,人潮爆炸的地方),沒有多加解釋。
雖然也曾當了十幾年的台北人,在人多的地方我還是會覺得不自在。明知道走在路上自己就是個普_普_通_通_的路人甲,別人根本不會注意你;但就算已到被叫大叔的年紀,人生閱歷也有一些,可我就是打昧,不行。
還是得工作啊,得生活啊,得待在都市裡啊!所以每隔一段時間一定要往人少的地方跑,把壓力釋放掉。在人(ㄇㄟˊ)少(ㄖㄣˊ)的地方,我才能自在地做自己。如果說我像是出世的修行者,朋友則是於滾滾紅塵中入世鍛鍊,功力自然比我高深多了。
台南市安南區,四草大橋附近
I spoke to a very good friend of mine the other day. She said that she liked Taipei very much and she really missed it. 'Taipei is crowed but in order. There is a interesting sense of alienation among people, where you could be yourself comfortably.' I just said to her that I did not like being in the crowd without further explanation.
I lived in Taipei for more than ten years and I am in my forties. However I still feel very uncomfortable in crowded places. I just prefer somewhere with no people.
Not to stay in the city is not an option to me at this stage. I still have to work and live in town. That's why every now and then I need to go somewhere I can find as few people as possible, to 'be myself'.
My dear friend is apparently a much much better 'practitioner' than me! :)
Annan District, Tainan City.