The train is crowded but I bag a seat and once settled, look up to see the man sitting opposite me. His navy blue suit is a little too big for his stooped shoulders, and his earnest expression, furrowed brow and wire-rimmed glasses leave him looking like the new boy at school. His blonde hair is combed carefully, the side parting straight and neat. His shirt is pale blue and his tie, also navy, has little boats on it. The knot looks a little big and adds to the incongruity of his reading matter; in his hands, this pale, quiet, shy-looking man holds a copy of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. The poignancy of his choice weighs heavily.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Commuting
The train is crowded but I bag a seat and once settled, look up to see the man sitting opposite me. His navy blue suit is a little too big for his stooped shoulders, and his earnest expression, furrowed brow and wire-rimmed glasses leave him looking like the new boy at school. His blonde hair is combed carefully, the side parting straight and neat. His shirt is pale blue and his tie, also navy, has little boats on it. The knot looks a little big and adds to the incongruity of his reading matter; in his hands, this pale, quiet, shy-looking man holds a copy of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. The poignancy of his choice weighs heavily.
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4 comments:
I keep picturing Gareth from 'The Office'.
The real one, not that weird thing the Yanks are doing...
(My word verification: slfugu. I got a bad batch of that once in a restaurant, but the EMT's pumped my stomach before the poison had a chance to spread.)
Steve
Absolutely - he was cut from the same cloth as Gareth for sure.
Puss
Aw, he sounds like a sad soul-
: )
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