Len's Diary Excerpt (1) 1999

 

Lens Diary ~ Observation ~ (01) ~ 01/06/99

Shop doorway Romford Market Sat 29/05/99 Time 13:33.

 A swarthy unshaven young man in his early twenties sits on a worn grey felt blanket.  His grubby hands held out to the bustling shoppers passing by.

A black & white collie-cross dog, sharing his blanket, gazes up at him with adoration in its eyes.

He opens his battered Army surplus pack, removes a pop bottle filled with clean water.  He looks into the dog’s big brown eyes and smiles.  The dog licks his face as he produces a tin soup bowl.  He fills the bowl with water.  The dog drinks greedily.  Their eyes meet again and the man pours more water, taking a shallow swallow from the bottle himself.  A third of the water remains and at a telepathic entreaty, this too is emptied into the bowl.

“Ere you are mate,” a cheery Cockney voice chirps and a hamburger is wedged into the Youngman’s hand.  He waits until the dog has finished drinking, then he breaks the burger in two, offering half to his companion.  He watches as the dog swallows, then breaks his half again; half to the dog and half for himself.  He eats slowly, relishing his portion, licking his fingers.

A passer by wrinkles his nose – Judging.  A young woman smirks – Judging…      

(Judge not less ye be judged?)

 Answer some/all the following questions in a story between 300 & 1000 words send them to Len:

(a)          What are you thinking?  What feelings does this invoke in your mind?

(b)          What do you think the passer-by is thinking?

(c)           What is the smirking woman thinking?

(d)          What is the young man thinking?

(e)          What is the dog thinking?

(f)            Why are they there?

(g)          How did they get there?

 

Into my mind comes strains of the Joan Baez song (1961) ‘There but for fortune…’