Travelling on the tube in London (something I do quite frequently) is always an education. People watching can be such fun. The other day this emminently respectable middle aged woman suddenly appeared through the connecting door between carriages to ask (in a very low voice) for money to let her get home. All of us rapidly looked down to examine books, newspapers, shoes, the floor or anything to exhibit non-compliance. She the left to go through to the next carriage, even though we were travelling dangerously fast - everyone in the carriage watching her leave. This prompted various thoughts: How did she get onto the train without money - perhaps she has an Oyster Card with insufficient funds? How quickly foreigners learn how to behave on the tube - no talking, no looking at each other, no eye contact EVER! Confidence and reading is the rule. I've seen Polish workers reading the Highway Code, Lithuanians checking out the questions for the driving test, Japanese reading 'War and Peace' and various London newspapers in a variety of languages - Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Chinese.
Yesterday though I saw someone breaking all the rules. A man - probably nearer to 40 than 30 - got on the train. He had a streak of red hair like a cockscomb, bunches of multicoloured hair tied in coloured ribbons, various facial piercings. He was clutching an enormous holdall to his chest (always something to cause nervous tension on the tube). He resolutely stared around the carriage demanding attention. And then I saw them - his earlobes had been replaced by large plastic tubes, reminding me of the cheesy snacks called hula hoops. I began to know what the mouse feels like when confronted by a cobra - awful fascination - repulsive, and yet drawing the attention. As the journey progressed passengers got on, filled the empty seat beside him, looked at him, and then quickly got up. His face got redder and redder as each station passed.
You see life on the tube.
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