I think one of the purest, most interesting forms of people-watching is sitting in the window seat of a train and watching the people hustle about on the busy train station platforms outside.
You can watch those people for a long time because they never look back at you. Whether it be because of the reflection of light not allowing them to see behind the window, or because they are on a tight schedule to leave the train station, or because, well, why look back at the train you just got off of?
Which then allows you, the passenger, to watch the plethora of people bustling about in different directions from the safety of a hidden spot.
I was on the way home yesterday, and the train pulled into London Blackfriars. I looked up from my book and on the other side of my window there were dozens of people heading in different directions with different levels of urgency.
There was one teenager, probably only a couple years older than me, dressed in entirely bohemian, vintage clothing that were all loose-fitting but seemed to fit his character perfectly; with the relaxed way he walked it seemed as though nothing could bother his state of pure zen.
Dawdling a few metres behind him, was a dad and his two infant daughters, one holding his hand walking beside him and the other sitting on his shoulder gripping onto his hair with all her might. All three of them were giggling like crazy which made me smile in awe.
I looked around to the platform behind them and saw a woman in her mid-20s with short blonde curly hair that was dip-dyed light purple. The rest of her outfit matched perfectly around that shade of purple: violet mask, indigo backpack, light purple cardigan over her otherwise black outfit apart from the white daisies self-embroidered into her trousers. She stood confidently, straight posture, broad shoulders, head glancing around, taking in the scene, the same way I was. I couldn’t help but admire her beauty until she looked directly back at me. Time seemed to slow down around me, out of panic or admiration I could not tell. I hadn’t had anyone look back at me before. I offered her a timid smile then cursed myself for not realising she couldn’t see my smile behind my mask. Time caught up with me and she turned to look away. She probably hadn’t looked at me in the first place, likely just glanced at the train exterior.
I sighed internally as my train started moving forward. I took one last glance at her before resting my head back against the seat and closing my eyes waiting for the next stop.
