Harry
November 20th 2007 12:01
Harry –
I sit at the bus stop.
A man arrives and I find out his name is Harry. He tells me, ‘I just love walking… sometimes I walk from Avalon to Harbord.’
His grey cotton shorts cling too tight for a man of elderly age, and his glasses look like something out of 1920’s lady fashion magazine. Unique I think to myself.
He goes on to tell me he is heading to Manly to simply, ‘have a walk around’ and that will most likely walk back… all the way to Warriewood. This is at least a two hour walk that seems a little outrageous to a 21 year old. I feel like saying, ‘Why not catch the bus back, like what your about to do?’ But I keep quiet. I am fascinated to hear his stories he seems to want to tell me without me even asking any questions.
He doesn’t work anymore, which obviously leads him to walk as much as he likes. I wonder what type of work he once did, but I don’t get a word in sideways.
He likes to categorize himself as an owl. I think now I am an owl too. This I come to understand a few minutes later. He obviously means he likes to sleep in and stay up late like the owls.
Sadly the bus arrives…
My meeting with Harry is short but I get a glimpse of someone else willing to share. And I’m glad he wanted to share.
I sit at the bus stop.
A man arrives and I find out his name is Harry. He tells me, ‘I just love walking… sometimes I walk from Avalon to Harbord.’
His grey cotton shorts cling too tight for a man of elderly age, and his glasses look like something out of 1920’s lady fashion magazine. Unique I think to myself.
He goes on to tell me he is heading to Manly to simply, ‘have a walk around’ and that will most likely walk back… all the way to Warriewood. This is at least a two hour walk that seems a little outrageous to a 21 year old. I feel like saying, ‘Why not catch the bus back, like what your about to do?’ But I keep quiet. I am fascinated to hear his stories he seems to want to tell me without me even asking any questions.
He likes to categorize himself as an owl. I think now I am an owl too. This I come to understand a few minutes later. He obviously means he likes to sleep in and stay up late like the owls.
Sadly the bus arrives…
My meeting with Harry is short but I get a glimpse of someone else willing to share. And I’m glad he wanted to share.
| 77 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I love these sorts of impromptu meetings with people,
Tracy
Comment by anna banana
Me too Tracy.. It just fascinates me how many people want to talk about their lives...
Strangers even.. we are not all that different!
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Great encounter, it's a good leaping point for a full story....
Tracy
Comment by anna banana
Now everyone looks forward too busy with their own lives to chat to the person next to them..
I'm all for talking to strangers, even if that does make me strange...
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I've noticed that people do it more when they are moaning about late buses or services or something like that.
Dog owners are usually very friendly (where I live anyway) and I often stand and have a chat with another dog owner while the dogs play...
Comment by Eva W.
Life in Germany
My last such experience was on a a flight from Sydney to Bangkok, where I was chatted up by a middle-aged Frenchman sitting on my left.
He told me that he was a banana farmer in New Caledonia. Then I told him how I visited New Caledonia once with my high school French class. We therefore instantly found something we had in common.
It's a small but infinitely fascinating world.