amble
1. verb: to walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace.
2. noun: a walk at a slow, relaxed pace, especially for pleasure.
In the morning, as the city slowly comes to life, the arterial roads which feed the working world with a fresh supply of caffeinated suits and ties become clogged traffic. Hooting cars with wanderlust-ridden drivers line-up on the tarmac, bumper to angry bumper, queuing to enter the city’s corporate maw. Buses carry tired, paycheque slaves caught in far-off neighbourhoods to the stock markets. They sit, vacantly looking at the viscous traffic pulling their slave ship towards another day. The email conversation threads on their phones, tablets, and laptops are their chains; the subject lines are the whips.
RE: Meeting in 20?
CC: Please look into this and reply ASAP.
BCC: Is that report ready yet?
Nearby, a train track roars as the 08h45 inbound freights its jaded meat to the city to punch tickets and clock hours.
Cars. Buses. Trains. This is the commute.
Everybody has somewhere to be and everyone gets around. But nobody is going anywhere.
On the sidewalks and byways of the city, on noisy bridges, at crowded pedestrian intersections where blinking red palms and flashing green men coordinate herds of cattle bound for the tall, gleaming abattoirs, is the The Ambler, a fish swimming against the flow, walking to a beat no one else can hear.
He stops to admire cracks in the pavement where small, rebellious bits of green life accumulate, waging a noble war against the grey; he sings the chorus line for street corner buskers; puts a hundred-dollar bill in a beggar’s cup, demanding no repayment but a smile; and munches on a hot dog, decorating his shirt with an errant mustard stain.
The Ambler
1. noun: he who looks at the world through the tune playing in his ears.
2. noun: he who puts one foot in front of the other.
3. noun: he who looks out at the rusted world of pretend and smiles at it impudently.
4. noun: you, without all the bullshit.
The Ambler is outside, tying his shoelaces, waiting for you to join him so you can go and make yays while the sun shines.
This is a sprightly compilation of songs with upbeat tempos to help you get from one place to another.
DURATION: 1 hour 22 mins (21 tracks)
MOOD: Buoyant; one foot in front of the other; thank god it’s today
NOTABLE ARTISTS: Texas (Southside; White On Blonde); All Saints (All Saints; Saints & Sinners); Ronan Keating (Ronan; Destination), Robbie Williams (Life Thru A Lens; Sing When You’re Winning); Will Smith (Big Willie Style; Willennium); and, Kylie Minogue (Fever; Body Language).
Author’s note: Please note this playlist contains infectious singalong magic and symptoms ranging from random outbursts of song to unchoreographed dance sequences have been observed in some listeners.