Smiling

I must take a photo of those smiley winkey face stickers on that up escalator at Oxford Circus tube. They were gone yesterday, but were back again today. And there was some fresh chewing gum on a few poster's faces too. I'll take a snap for you tomorrow, hope everything's still there!

I tried smiling all the way from Oxford Circus to Tooting Bec on Monday night. I found it very difficult. I'd manage a few genuinely good smiles, but often when no one was looking. People really do avoid eye contact at all costs on the tube. I of course challenged a few people to look at me by smiling very directly at them. It worked to some extent, a Japanese couple smiled back at me quite cheerfully, perhaps they didn't know the 'no smiling on tubes' etiquette? But most people steadfastly ignored me, and I don't blame them. I probably looked like an idiot.

So it was frustrating, and a bit demoralising. Which isn't what smiling's supposed to be about. It's supposed to be fun! I tried my best to think of funny things, and when this worked it was good, but then those thoughts would fade, and I'd just be left with a fake grin on my face. A fake grin somehow defeats the object of this excercise. I wanted genuine smiles all the way home. Perhaps I simply wasn't in the mood?

I tried at least, and perhaps the people who gave me bemused looks had their day brightened by wondering why some idiot was smiling on a packed Northern Line train on a Monday night.

As we approached Tooting Bec I was feeling belligerant, and in full view of everyone I stickered gerbil's nose (not a real one, that would be cruel.) This made me smile at least.