Tubercule 1

2/11/11

Travelling home by tube last night I had to sit next to some horrid oik with the white plugs in the ears, from which came a sound like a swarm of maddened mosquitoes. I was a victim of the new curse of “sodcasting,” the playing of loud noise on public transport.

He looked Latin American and was reading, O Americano Tranquillo, by Graham Greene. I thought of pointing out the irony of this to him, but I think it would have been wasted.

When I changed at Earl’s Court I sat next to another of them, not reading anything this time, just blank. I swapped seat to sit across from her and glare.