At the Junction of 2 realities
20 July 2004 12:52 pm
A new low. This morning the cab driver who picked me up said he was expecting a shopping mall as a landmark while he was looking for my apartment. Reason? The electronic monitor on his dashboard that beeps passengers' bookings had read: "[MY ADDRESS]. Buona Vista Junction." Must explain further. My apartment block is at the junction of Buona Vista Road and H Road. At the same time there are a number of shopping malls in Singapore that use the word 'junction' as part of their names, for example, Bugis Junction and Junction 8. So, the taxi driver thought that Buona Vista Junction was the name of a shopping mall. 'Junction' has now become synonymous with a mall and its original meaning ('intersection of roads') has been displaced.
What a screwed-up world, in which signs and words no longer lead you to the right place. No wonder everyone feels lost.
Older entries
Ramadan - 08 October 2006
Where I Have Been - 03 October 2006
Baby Talk - 10 August 2006
6 Weeks of Separation - 16 July 2006
Unacceptable Rudeness - 21 June 2006