Chapter 9
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
Standing in line is a universal experience, but let’s be honest—whether you’re queuing at the municipal office, or trying to board a train, there’s always that one person who thinks the rules don’t apply to them. They slither in, trying to cut the line, and suddenly, you’re channeling your inner serpent, hissing under your breath, “Excuse me, I might just get hiss-terical!”
While in Bern, the evening commute on the BLS double-decker trains offers a delightful—if chaotic—change of rhythm. Forget orderly lines; here, it’s a full-blown free-for-all. Passengers push, shove, and squeeze through the wide doors as if they’re in a high-stakes race for the last seat, particularly upstairs. Some might find this spectacle hiss-terical (pun very much intended), but in Bern, it’s just part of the evening’s routine.
But let’s take a step back and consider the serpentine nature of it all. In the Old Testament, the serpent is the ultimate trickster—crafty, slippery, and downright deceptive. tempting Eve with forbidden fruit and earning itself a lifetime of belly-crawling and dust-eating as punishment. Yet, even in its downfall, the serpent teaches us a lesson: be wise, but don’t lose your innocence. As Jesus famously told His disciples, “Be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.”
Now, let’s talk about the word itself. In German, the word for the queue, “Schlange,” means both “snake” and “line.” It’s a linguistic double that perfectly captures the essence of waiting: slow, winding, and occasionally venomous. But there’s no such overlap in English, French, or Italian. Imagine telling a British friend, “We were in a long ‘snake’ waiting for the evening train home at the station in Bern.” They’d probably give you a puzzled look and say, “You mean that’s how you guys feel when you stand in a queue?”
Speaking of queues, I recently stumbled upon a delightful passage about the cultural nuances of standing in line. It pointed out that in Czech, “stát ve frontě” (to stand in line) evokes images of a disciplined battle formation. Meanwhile, the German “Schlange” feels more like an invitation to push, shove, and slither your way to the front. It’s a subtle difference, but one that speaks volumes about our collective patience—or lack thereof.
Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace the chaos. Whether at the supermarket, town departments, or the train station, I’ve accepted that I’ll inevitably end up in the slowest-moving line. Instead of stressing, I’ve adopted a cheerful fatalism. I’ve come to see waiting as a metaphor for life itself. The longer the line, the more time I have to reflect, people-watch, or mutter an iconic phrase under my breath: “Wos stengans do olle on, die Trottln?” (“What are all these fools standing around for?”)
So, the next time you find yourself in a hiss-terical situation—whether it’s a serpentine queue, a chaotic train platform remember: life is a waiting game. And sometimes, the best thing you can do is channel your inner serpent, stay wise, and maybe hiss a little. After all, we’re all just global fools trying to navigate this winding, unpredictable line called existence.
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I just have a train to catch. Wish me luck so I have no need to get hysterical and leave out the hiss-terical feeling. (big smile)
Wishing a great start to this new week!
Philemon