The Little Playground

There is a small park behind my house. I go there every other morning, before I go to work. It's a humble little park. In fact, its not even a park. It's just a playground, not unlike countless other playgrounds you'll see around suburban KL...I just call it a park because when you've lived in cities long enough, any patch of grass feels like a park. But for a small little park, I have found it to be amazing. There are children playing around the swings. There are young boys having a game of basketball. There is a trio of old men brisk walking together, catching up on the latest gossip. I hear birds chirping in the trees and I see the neighbourhood dog rolling happily over the grass. There is an old man that brings his granddaughter to the slides. He watches on with a proud smile as the little girl climbs up and down. It is an amazing little park. There is a lady there who, like me, comes every other morning. It's hard not to notice her because she's the only resident there who is white. She comes with her baby, barely a few months old. She looks eastern European to me, but it's only a guess. The kids like to stare at her. They find it extraordinary that there is a 'mat salleh' lady in such a place, far far away from where other expatriates usually live. But after a while, everyone accepts it. The first time I smiled at her, she was quite taken aback. Maybe it was too sudden, or maybe I should have combed my hair before gong in public. The second time, I ventured a simple Good Morning (with a smile of course). She nodded back in acknowledgement. I hope she doesnt think I'm a creep. It's amazing to behold in a snapshot, the full spectrum of life in such a simple place. To have people of all ages and background gather here like that is, to me, a beautiful thing. It makes the place feel full of life and intimate. You see the same faces coming and going and it becomes familiar. To the point where even if you don't really know these people, you somehow do anyway. There is a bus stop next to the park. Most people sit in bus stops facing the front,waiting for the bus. But at this bus stop, some of them prefer facing the back. Because that's where the park is. They see the same thing I see. Old men walking, young men exercising, small kids playing, mothers cradling, dogs rolling on the ground. I guess I'm not the only one who thinks this park is amazing. Oh wait, I mean playground. Oh, who cares anyway....