Monday, January 31, 2005

drifting through monday

It was my day off today (I have every Monday off) and I decided that as Rebecca was heading off to work at 1pm I'd leave at the same time and go into the City centre. There was no reason to do this I just felt like getting out. I spent a voucher I'd been sent for Christmas and bought the American Slendor DVD which I'd been promising myself for a while (and after watching, and enjoying, Sideways last night it seemed about time to carry through on my promise) A quick trip to a comic shop and I bought By the Numbers, a French graphic novel translated by DC. I don't know much about it other than it's set during 1948 and is illustrated by Stanislas. As Stanislas is the artist responsible for a rather wonderful comic biography of Herge I'm not fussed what it's about, it's look lovely so I'm prepared to take a gamble on the story.
There's something pleasant, even if it's a bit lame in a Gen X/Friends sort of way about sitting in a coffee shop reading a book, so that's what I did. The book was The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E. L. Konisburg who wrote on of my favourite childrens' books, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. So far the book is very lovely indeed and for some strange reason is reminding me of Tales From The City. My attention was occassionally distracted from the book by the couple opposite me who were holding a conversation only really interesting to themselves but who happily broke off several times during it to answer their mobile phones. having only recently bought a mobile phone I'm still amazed at the (lack of) manners attached to the damn things. There was no pause in answerign the phones, one simply stopped talking to the other and answered the phone, no apologies, no recriminations.
On the way back home I passed a woman on a bicycle with her young son on the back, he had his head tilted as far back as it would go and was grining as the wind ruffled his blonde moppet hair. I had to smile.

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