Time to watch

Train stations are good place to people watch.

Early on Friday evening I watched people piling off trains, rushing to get where they are going - rushing to meet loved ones. It made me think of all the thousands of people who travel to see people for weekends.

A train from London arrived and people streamed off the platform like ants. Once outside, some continued to rush onto their destination whilst others stopped. I watched several individuals pick a space where they felt comfortable to stand and wait. Some opted for open space, others preferred to stand against a wall or lean on a post.

There was a guy who looked dismayed as he wandered the pavement. I guessed that he was waiting for his girlfriend; he looked preened, his hair carrying the weight of many minutes of styling. I could smell his aftershave. He had dressed to impress and it showed he had been looking forward to seeing her.
There were three different girls stood in a triangle at equal distance apart. I thought that they were all students returning home for the weekend. I wondered what their weekends would involve, perhaps they had come home for a special family event, a friends birthday or some peace and quiet to study.
A man was sat on the bench next to me smoking a pipe; he looked too young to smoke a pipe. It made the air smell sweet. He didn't look like he was waiting for anyone; he looked like he was still working, busily tapping away on his state of the art mobile.
A group of young boys in skinny jeans were planning where they were going to go and 'hang out'. They too had made a lot of effort on their appearance- it was Friday night after all.
A young couple with lots of bags stood kissing and embracing at the taxi rank, I wondered if their adventure had just finished or was beginning. They looked happy and in love, it made me smile.
My thoughts shifted to me. Do I look uncomfortable? Who do I look like I am waiting for.