Glimpsing a stranger's world

Clubbing with some friends in Coventry, I felt shadows being cast. A group of lads were behaving threateningly in a way I couldn’t put my finger on. It was a tentative display of aggression, their dislike of us was only just spilling over their inhibition and fear. As time went on and alcohol was dissolving their various restraints and doubts they began to be more obviously after trouble. It was unclear whether it was a personal thing or they were frustrated and just wanted to use violence to feel better. My concern though was about one of the guys in our group and if would rise to the bait, he was the most hot-headed and was known often to go too far- not knowing when to stop when he got started.

Thankfully a bouncer stepped in before anyone laid a hand on anyone, and did brilliantly. He saw the expressions that flashed across some faces and knew when make a move. He just separated us and seemed to know who needed his attention most. He spoke to us but focussed on my hot-headed friend. In a few words he gave us glimpse into his world; I’m not sure how it happened because it seemed so personal. We weren’t really taking in what he was saying until told us about how he saw his brother stabbed to death in front of him. Blimey. All the tension disappeared because it was rendered irrelevant and insignificant. When he spoke it became clear he had seen a lot of violence and that it held no fear for him, it was just banal. This made him, to me at least, formidable. The most impressive thing was he had a kind of concern, it was so unusual.

I reckon we caught him on a day when he gave us a glimpse into his world which he would never do ordinarily. Strangers do tell strangers things they may not even say to many of their closest friends and family, just because somehow the circumstances are right and/or they know never see each other again.

Out of the Blue

I’m walking down a street on a dark evening feeling wearied by the general drudgery of existence. I decided to flap my arms, people around begin to look. I flap my arms again, now people begin to point and kids are heard laughing in derision. The cold scrutiny intensifies until the fifth flap, when I actually acquire the gift of flight.

People I'd share a cell with.

Being a crazy maverick and a bit greedy, I’d like to have 3 people in my cell, for two of them I would require a time machine. Anyway they are: Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X and Paul Robeson. All are African Americans who did big things in the 20th century, but that is not really why I choose them. They were all willing to risk losing mass adulation, much wealth and a comfortable secure existence for their convictions; which at the time were deeply unpopular. They were also undogmatic and did not blind themselves to their errors and which shows integrity and intellectual honesty. Now the amazing thing is, despite their scrupulousness and the hardships they went through, they managed to be incredibly good fun to be with, spontaneous, funny and energising.