I suppose I keep banging on about technology because like many people I still haven’t settled arguments about it within myself. Snaking past vast shining office blocks in London’s Docklands, on the DLR, reminds me how far we’ve come, but it’s also imposing, overbearing even. There’s a man with one of those cheesy looking digital books sitting opposite and a girl sweeping her fingertips over a glossy phone, playing Bounce, apparently, Digital Book Guy just asked her. And, yes, that’s right, you guessed it, I’m going to complain a bit and say it’s kind of annoying. Not just the dumb sounds it makes but that an adult would choose to do this rather than remain attentive and responsive to her environment.
That’s what I was going to say, before Digital Book Guy blew my theory away. Ms Bounce is clearly still with us and she treats him to a smile as he gets off. As he gets off, McGirl gets on, and for a moment I hope but can’t believe she’s not going to do it, then she does. She opens the paper bag in her lap and the carriage slowly fills with the smell of burger and fries. We all sit and silently watch her stuff her once pretty face.
I haven’t eaten for hours so now I really am a bit narked. Even so, in the middle of my silent orgy of resentment I’m grateful for the demonstration that it’s not technology that I have a problem with at all, it’s seeing inside strangers lives, whether I want to or not. There’s something selfish about this - I’m me doing my thing here and I don’t care who sees me or what they may think - which is ugly. My life is practically an open book, if you're reading this, but you've chosen to do so. I'm not making a phone call in your face or forcing you to watch me troughing.
Now on the third leg of my journey home from this late test at the Greenwich Maritime Museum. I still haven’t had anything to eat and the exec next to me is tucking into his second packet of sandwiches. In Indonesia, or somewhere like that, I feel pretty sure he would have offered me one by now, been a bit embarrassed by his own good fortune. If Two Dinners is thinking anything about his good fortune, he's looking pretty pleased with himself. The guy sitting right next to him? Well, on a good day, he’d like as not think that by offering to share his food he’d be calling me a loser. I DON’T CARE, TD, I’M HUNGRY!
A few minutes later, he’s surely on the final stretch and boy I could use a bite of his juicy red apple. I imagine blowing these words up to 90 points and shoving the screen under his nose, proving that I’ve lost the plot. Too hungry, too tired. I should have stopped for something to eat in London. It’s my own fault that I feel this way. Poor decisions make bad things happen. Oh my god, he’s got fucking biscuits as well.
