Wednesday 16 July 2008

Where are the Mexicans?

Two men on a London bus. One on my right, one on my left.

The one on my right is very loud as he shouts into his phone. I have to turn my head away because his voice hurts as he bellows to the woman on the end of the line. I can hear her, high-pitched, trying to be heard. The man, who is about 20, says lots of things ending with, "Yes, but that's not what I had planned. It doesn't fit with my plans." And then she, thankfully, speaks for a while, which gives my ears respite. I think he is talking to his mum. I exchange the universal look (eyebrows raised, lips slightly pursed, slightly smiling) with my fellow passengers and see that they, too, think he should pipe down. They are all wearing the look.

The man on the left is asking whether there are any Mexicans on the bus. He says: "Where are the Mexicans? You can't tell me we are all British on this bus. We ain't all Brits. Are we? We are meant to be multicult. Multicult, innit? Mexicans!" Then he laughs gently. He smells of lager and his teeth are shades of yellow and black.

4 comments:

  1. Hey Mell, My *look* is more of a glare these days, I can't abide loud voices on mobiles. I have zero tolerance and want to tell them to shut the f**k up.

    I love the man looking for Mexicans. I hope he found them.

    (whispering now: I hope Belinda goes, she is intolerable, & much as the half hour of biking must've been tough on her, I have never seen such a show of grotesque overacting when she displayed her agony & despair afterwards. Lisa is so dim, but I can't help liking her, and she is better with Mario gone. Darnell is a poet, he has to win!) x

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  2. NMJ, I totally agree. Why they are allowing them on planes. I'll never know!

    The Mexican-hunter was amusing. A happy drunk.

    (Not long now, my lovely!)

    x

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  3. Beth, he was pretty grim to look at but was a happy soul. Much less annoying than the young man with the loudhailer voice.

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