On the tram
Did you find a good, safe seat? Are you sitting, or standing in a stable position? Enough distance apart from the other passengers? Good.
So here we are. In the tram. Yellow on the outside and on the inside—? What do you think of the seat colour? The upholstery design? The grey, sticky plastic floor? Do you have an opinion? Take your time looking around. Is the tram full or empty? Is anyone else on the tram holding our book and reading it? Go ahead, nod to them. What part of the book do you think they’re at? I need your focus, your attention, and your conscious consent to our journey.
But trust isn’t a one-way street—you need security too, I understand that. So I’ll tell you something about our route in advance: we are also going to travel together on foot. We’ll get off at the Ernestinenstraße stop. Does that help you get oriented? Good.
But that’s still a ways away. Take a deep breath. Is the tram still standing or already moving? If it is in motion, keep on reading.
The tram has started moving, and along with it so does your body, and with you, me. Together we’re being jostled around down the tracks.
For a brief moment, focus only on the sounds around you. Do you hear anything you’ve never heard before? No? Are you sure? What sounds different when the tram stands still? What moves towards your ears, and what moves away from them?
Lift your gaze for a second: is everything still where it was before? Or has something shifted in your line of sight? Check it out now and then return to the book and continue reading on page 6.