Saturday 14 May 2011

Sad about the boy

Sometimes I feel an overwhelming sadness when I'm people watching. A couple who live nearby have this effect on me. They look to be aged between 35 and 40, and don't have any children. Both are always smiling and seem to be very much 'in love'. I've never seen them look fed up or stressed. A patchwork velvet skirt which nearly touches the floor is what she wears, he wears jeans and a black t-shirt, possibly with a band name on it.
If I see them it is either at the corner shop, or on their way into town holding hands. His walk is self-conscious, his head tilts to one side, he shuffles and looks coy, like a lady on her way back through the pub after going to the toilet. Her walk is more confident, almost a glide, you never see her feet only the giant skirt hovering. Once, I saw him ask the girl at the chip shop if he could taste their barbecue sauce, he only had a tiny speck of it but insisted on giving her 20p for the privilege. I felt sad for him then, something about his eagerness to be 'nice', his stutter and inability to maintain eye-contact.
I know that my brother experiences this same pity for complete strangers, and I explained this guy to him. Soon after, I saw him and was able to point him out to my brother, who works at the University. "Oh, I've seen him at work, I think he's doing a course. He was in a car crash when he was little, his parents were   killed ". 

4 comments:

  1. I was a bit speechless when I got to the end of your post and read that the guy's parents had been killed. It seems that the sadness that you had detected in this person is linked to this tragedy. I think it shows how our instincts and emotions can have real foundations even if we don't know what they are. Interesting and thought provoking.

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  2. oh thats so sad, i sometimes pick up sadness in the people I watch too, i always wonder whats gone on. Have a great weekend Scarlett x

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  3. Our instincts are more important than we give credit for. There's nothing 'psychic' about these feelings, they are what puts us at the top of the food chain (on earth!). I have always found excessive efforts to appear 'happy' a warning sign. Beware!

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  4. Yes Lucewoman, you are so right! Remember clowns? I also can act the fool and love to make people laugh, but that simply hides what has gone on in the past. It's a mask some of us use. Lovely post by the way, very thought provoking.

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