In a sense, solitude in the modern metropolis is already a well-established and accepted notion. That is, the single-person apartment is common and often the most efficient mode of living, an option chosen by those who subscribe to the philosophy of pragmatism. Loneliness can often be supplemented with the purchase of a spotted rabbit or a particularly fat chinchilla from Goldfish Street, Mongkok. Or perhaps the more daring may select a rhinoceros beetle. Either way, distractions are plentiful enough to go around—easy access to KTV, excursions to the nearby public park, an especially risky game of mahjong.
But tonight, we opted for none of the above. Coldplay’s Yellow removed the need to search the sky for stars, but I think we all wished that this moment could have lasted a little longer. There was a nonsensical humor (無厘頭?) and a voice telling a familiar story. And we all held hands—no one actually remembers why—so that there can be a physical image to accompany this transient moment.