It’s a little over one year since a changed jobs and I’ve loved every minute. I do miss one thing about the old place though, aside from the (most of) the people of course, the location.
I spent a few years commuting by train into Glasgow city centre, and I must admit I miss the occasional wander and, more specifically, the people-watching opportunities.
Whether observing my fellow commuters, or marvelling at the myriad of shapes, faces, and gestures that issue forth from my fellow (wo)man, I could, and did, spend a little too long sitting in a cafe somewhere, gazing out of the window at the passing parade of everyday people. People everyday.
And of course there was the occasional interaction, a grasped moment, a shared look, the shared experience however trivial.
Apologies for the introspection but you’ll have to blame the lady who was opposite me in the revolving door to our building.
The cafe/restaurant is open to the public and having nipped out a lunchtime, I was re-entering the building as I spotted a couple leaving the cafe, walking towards the revolving door and, by my calculations, who were destined to meet it at the same time as I.
I was right. As I put my hand out to starting pushing from my side, so the gentleman on the other side did the same (leaving the lady behind him, whatever happened to chivalry!). As the door slowly rotated, she was left with a decision. Whether to squeeze in alongside him or what for the next gap. She decide to squeeze through the closing gap, and as I glanced across she looked across at me and gave me a little smile.
All of this happened in a split second of course, but that smile conveyed so much, acknowledging the lateness of her decision, and that she almost got caught in the door. The guy in front of her didn’t see this.
It was a silly little moment, shared between two strangers, never to be repeated again. But it made me smile.
I find human nature fascinating, and it’s little moments like this that can give you a little lift for the rest of the day.
It’s little things like that which always set me daydreaming – are they a couple? was this a clandestine meeting? if I had looked a little longer would we have become friends? Like when you are stuck in traffic and you think where is everyone going? are they going to be late? will it change their life if they are? It can keep me going for hours – I’m sure I could write a book one of these days. (I’ve given up on you!!)
I really liked this particular blog entry. You write so well! Little bits of human contact happen all the time, but only to those who chose to make eye contact with folk. Others just walk around so conscience!
Funny you should mention the chivalry aspect. As I was reading just the other day in “The Secret History of the Revolving Door”, the revolving door was invented so that men wouldn’t have to hold the door open for women any more.
Either that, or they should do a full circuit of the door so that they push it round for the woman to emerge first… 😉
Revolving doors the movie, featuring ‘Gordon’ as the ‘Orange one’ and Kirsten Dunst as ‘smile lady’
Alan Bennet must have made a fortune out of moments like that. He said his Mum could make a story up about people sitting at the next table having ‘High Tea’ in those days …similar to your thoughts…they are meeting secretly…his wife must be ill .. the children know but keep quiet she is probably the best friend or his wife’s nurse and so on , until it became true in her mind.
I think her smile probably meant… I know he is an ignorant so and so but someone has to love him and it is me!
Say hello to Mr Ranjit Benning, think he starts with your lot on Monday, reccomended you as a ‘good guy’…
There you go a recomendation
I had a moment with a very handsome man in Boots the other day as we did a little dance to get round a (stupid) woman who had suddenly stopped dead with her huge three-wheeled baby buggy in the middle of the aisle. It lasted seconds, with smiles and raised eyebrows, but I walked away with a spring in my step.
Chivalry is definitely not dead. Perhaps it’s just keeping a low profile. Yes, people watching is sometimes the best sightseeing around. Whether it’s admiring the myriad of accents, odd mannerisms, or unusual attire… good fun.