Subset

After the incident with the solo woman wanting a picture, I was in a downward spiralling mood, and became abruptly bored with the city. I headed back to my room, with nothing to do, and no interest in doing it if there were.

Somehow, I decided to at least receive the sunlight available to me, so I took a book downstairs, with the plan to find somewhere to read. After randomly following one of the various groups of cute Asian girls for a block, I doubled back to sit on the only place available in the sun, one of three uncomfortable cement couches. I felt like a freak, preparing myself to be gawked at as the only person in the city not being a tourist or a gambler.

I sat and read for awhile, beside the long line of taxis waiting impatiently to pick up travelers. The honking and occasional "Hey, move up, will ya?" interrupted my focus, while the lack of give in the seating caused me to shift over and over as the pain grew greater.

The light started dimming in the late afternoon, so I rose to go inside. I was startled to see that at another uncomfortable cement couch sat an older woman, who was also reading.

It brought to mind a point made in the book I was reading - humans tend to emulate one another. Even in an activity that seemed so unlikely.