For the longest time

I came to Canada in 2002. Every day I would come to this bus stop, Bramalea transit in Brampton to go to school or work. This big advert has been there ever since. Judging from the yellowing of his teeth I would say this poster has seen quite a number of seasons.

For the longest time I thought this was a local politician or a government representative. Maybe it was his last name that made me jump to this conclusion or the lack of any information on the poster except the name, or both!

I always wondered why the poster was never changed or replaced. From the apparent permanent fixture of this poster it seemed it was forgotten. But how can that be - someone surely would be getting paid for advertising on this spot.

If the bus was really really late my mental reasoning would reach till here, normally not even, always keeping me occupied. Over the course of the years it has become a permanent fixture of my daily commute, a welcoming indication of another familiar pit-stop in my trip to wherever from wherever.

The lack of information peaked my curiosity just enough to keep me occupied and my mind off the tiring day, the troubles ahead, the bone chilling flurries or just plain boredom. But not enough to make me ask around or to google this person or think of him once I left the stop.

A few months ago, just by chance, I realised the notepad on my coffee table next to the phone had Mr. Sandy Kennedy's face on it, the same picture incidentally. This time around there was additional information: Real Estate Agent.

The mystery was finally solved on its own. It did, however, help me realise a few things. How small yet regular sites and sounds become part of your daily experience we call life and how subtley and covertly our mind selectively filters information we are taking in to process and how easily we can jump to conclussions without realising which cues are being picked up by the brain subconsciously.

Goes to show being aware of ones surroundings and ones actions and thought processes is not that easy.

Needless to say, as always, despite the mystery of the could be distant cousin of the Kennedy family vanishing the poster served faithduly its most basic and valuable duty - to keep me occupied enough to make me forget the waiit for the bus, the cold and every thing else above and below and around it for a little while.


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