People in motion

I don’t need an alarm clock here near Cau Bong (bridge).

Motorbike traffic started at 6AM and won’t settle until way past midnight.

Street vendors of all stripes. And door to door lottery ticket sellers every five minutes.

My mode of transportation is “xe om”, in the back of a scooter pay-per-trip.

When it is congested, as often be the case, we climbed the sidewalks.

The latest GDP numbers for the city is 14.8%.

A lot of pressures to make and spend money.

Everybody moves, weaving in and out of congested traffic.

Yet, everybody seems to be in sync.

If there were an accident, minor one, the parties involved just yelled at each other, then went on their separate ways.

To be hit here is a shameful thing. So people have to shift the blame.

Road rage.

I turn and see a baby smiling at me at the intersection.

Unbeknown to the traffic and smog, she goes about her way of connecting.

I will never forget that innocent smile. It says, my future will be better.

And why worry? Be happy, regardless of the circumstance you find yourself in. Her circumstance and mine was that we were waiting for the light to turn green, so all the scooters can join in a spontaneous race through the streets of Saigon. And late at night, on the weekend, there will be a real race put on

by younger crowds. That race, I refuse to take part. Choose your battle.