Uphill Climb

I wouldn't consider myself out of shape, but the inclines and heat of HK can be a struggle sometimes. It's usually about the time that these things start to get to me as I am walking back home that I get humbled.



This humbling can come in many forms, but usually it is delivered by a person standing half my size, width, or both.

Half my size. Hunched over from osteoporosis, trudging up the side of the street pulling a little cart, little old ladies can be a force with which to be reckoned. Heads down, direction set, taxis regularly steer clear of these street obstacles. Anyone with a cart uses the street in an effort to avoid the many stairs that occupy the sidewalks, and thus speed their transit. I am saddened and amazed when I come by one of these women; saddened for the deformity that has struck them and amazed for the vigor with which they attack the world anyway.

Half my width. The sticklike figures that are the backbone of HK daily life include trash men, water delivery people, and a horde of other cart and satchel-clad personnel. For hours on end, they tote things up and down the streets, hallways, stairs, and elevators of HK, and are often the first people out in the morning. With none of the protective gear visible that has become the standard for such laborious activities in the U.S., these literal backbones of the society attack their activities with a conviction that will hopefully be matched with increased safety protections and time off in the future.