Birds of a feather...

... flock together.

At least, that's what I thought while observing a couple in a car at a red light, the woman biting her nails actively, and the man examining his before starting to bite them as well.

Unexpected present

On the train to Zurich I meet Atif, a young Pakistani underwear seller. As we strike up a conversation it turns out that he didn't think of bringing anything to eat on his journey, so I offer him my croissant. After making sure that I already had lunch he accepts it.

Now Atif wants to give me something in return, so he takes his bag, asks what my favourite colour is and goes on a quest for his present for me. When he finds what he has been searching for, looking sheepish, he takes it in his fist, reaches for my hand, puts it in my palm, closes my fingers around it, and asks me not to laugh.

As I open my hand I discover... a g-string... and start laughing uncontrolably at the unexpected surprise.

Flowers, a message and a smile

Flowers in hand, a teenager is leaning against the corner of a building, waiting for someone, probably his date. As I pass him by, I see a smile appear on his face as he reads the text message he just received on his mobile.

We've seen better days...

Sitting in a bus, I can vaguely hear the chatter of two old ladies opposite of me, the nice granny type. As I look out the window, I see a couple of sixty year olds with a dog trotting behind them.

What caught my attention was the general picture they gave: two unkept people walking an old little mongrel who looked dirty and had problems walking. The thought crossed my mind that the old saying is right: dogs do resemble their masters.

"Oh boy! This dog has also seen better days!", one of the old, rich looking ladies exclaims.

I couldn't help but wonder if they were referring to the dog alone, to his masters as well, or to themselves...

Would be nice if it was "Feierowend" already...

Sitting on the bench at a bus station, a guy comes up, greets me and sits next to me:

Him: Hi!

Me: Hi! (Look away, hoping to avoid further contact.)

Him: Would be nice if it was "Feierowend" already... ("Feierowend" means the end of a day of work.)

Me, looking at him to make sure he was speaking to me, and since he was:

Yeah, true... (Didn't want to tell him that I'm actually not working at the moment, so it's "Feierowend" for me all the time.)

Him: It's tough as a bus driver...

Me, trying not to be a bitch: Ah... Don't you work eight hours as other people?

Him: Not at all! We work twelve hours! I work from 10 to 22! Of course, we have three hours break inbetween, but what can one do with that?

Me: Ah yes, there's no time to go home, for example... (Making a face to show my compassion for him. Humour the potential crazies, I say. In the meantime the bus arrives and I stand up.)

Him, following: No wonder one is not able to keep a girlfriend in those conditions...

(Me, at this point already heading for the door, hoping that he won't follow, and starting to understand that he was actually trying to hit on me.)

Him, continuing: ...nobody wants a relationship like that!

Luckily, bus drivers in Luxembourg know each other, so as I walk away the guy stays at the front, speaking to the driver.

As I disappear to the back of the bus I hear him saying: Would be nice if it was "Feierowend" already...