morning silence


Sitting at my desk in the early morning silence somehow enjoying the grey, sober solemnity of the autumnal skies outside as someone arrives… talking on her phone… the person she is speaking to must be partially deaf for she is shouting as if she is out in a field at a music festival. 0825am on a Monday morning and she is shouting into her phone. It’s simply not possible for some people not to be talking. They fear the silence of their own thoughts… the stretching out of a few minutes alone, it fills them with dread. The conversation is of haircuts and massages. What else do they have to discuss? In desperation I reach into my bag and search for my headphones. I find them just in time and suddenly the sound of Anthony and The Johnsons drowns out her voice.
Someone else arrives and begins to ask me questions about her machine. I remove my headphones and try to talk. My voice sounds strained and threatens to fail. In the background, although she is further away now, I hear the person on the phone… speaking of Spanish holidays… how original… an English tourist in Spain. Holidays, Haircuts, Massage… drivel.
Fortunately, my thoughts return to those pleasant thoughts that have dominated my mind most of the weekend. My gaze returns to the sulky sky outside and the calmness of the trees over the rooftops of sleepy houses makes me feel somewhat tranquil once more.
I close my eyes, listen to the music, and await the chaos.

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