for some reason there is a certain etiquette that is observed when traveling on a train. passengers don't talk too loudly... there's a certain concept of personal space... and people in general do their best not to make eye contact. well yesterday, during peak hour... amongst the mass of people, i could distinctly hear a loud voice over my ipod.

lovely day!
thats it dear, give us a smile, ohhh you got a lovely smile... give us another... now... where do you live? eh? wheelers hill? u better watch that i don't follow you home...
ohhh there got a laugh... jolly good!

now... i've learnt that sometimes when rowdy behaviour occurs, its best to avoid appearing a spectator, lest you yourself attract unwanted attention. sometimes as a girl, its best to stay out of it. so i continued to fake sleeping and listening to my ipod.
but eventually, curiosity got the better of me... i was dying to see what this man looked like. i could very clearly hear his voice, and had gauged him to be elderly... and by the sounds of it... intoxicated. moreover, i had formed a picture in my head: grizzly looking, unshaven, wearing a stained hoody and perhaps worn trackies? however, when i finally managed to catch a glimpse of the man, i was stunned.
yes, he was elderly, but this man appeared to be well to do. dressed in a suit with golden cuff links and a blackberry at hand. not at all what i had imagined. the more i (discreetly) observed him.. the more i began to doubt my initial impression of a drunk and sleazy old man.

i still don't know what to make of him. a part of me believes that he was trying to bring some sort of warmth to an otherwise mundane commute home. he made an effort to smile at each person and wish them have a wonderful day. yet on the other hand... his obtuse and loud behaviour had me believing the worst. i don't think it helped that the two men that were 'encouraging' his behaviour (the ones i could see) were scary looking... the type of men you give wide berth when walking in the streets past nightfall.

started me thinking, how appearances can be deceptive... but more so, i questioned my assumption that this man was drunk. yes... some of the things he said made me concerned... (such as the following the girl home... i would have freaked out completely!) but on the other hand, my initial belief that his friendliness and lack of reservation was due to the alcohol rather than a genuine... niceness... made me feel... hmmm sad? i dunno... does it say something about the days we live in, when we perceive such ugliness before the good? or does it say something about me?

Labels: observations, ramblings

Updated@2:57 AM

so... whatcha thinking? =)