What makes some people go against the grain? Yesterday in the swimming pool a woman in the medium speed swimming lane refused to observe the directional arrows and stayed in her own lane, even though I, then the next person in the lane almost crashed into her (she then looked at us like we were mad)
Today in the British Library I was sitting in my favoured place at the downstairs cafe (near the lift). There are a row of high stools next to little triangular bits of table coming out of the wall, with plug sockets. The high chairs are set on the left hand side of the triangle as you look at them and most people happily sit in that arrangement, as there isn't much space between each desk and so if anyone decides they'd prefer to go on the right they'd get in someone else's way.
Of course today a man strolls up to the one available space and moves his stool to the right, banging into the person next to him (luckily for him it wasn't me) who was actually polite enough to say "sorry" to the intruder, who didn't apologise himself. He then sat there having a very loud conversation on his mobile phone. I looked at him as if to say, "What's your problem?" but from the smug look on his face I think he took it that I was impressed with what he was talking about (I wasn't. I can't even remember what it was now). Is this behaviour down to brazen self confidence and lack of respect or just a total lack of understanding about the laws of personal space? The British Library is full of the eccentric and the unusual and I like it for that, but this fella was quite young, reasonably trendy looking. It seemed more like arrogance than a misunderstanding of how human society operated. Maybe he was making some point about everyone conforming and showing he was a maverick who didn't care for our rules. But there's a reason why everyone sat on the left hand sides of the triangles. It was so that what had now happened wouldn't happen and people's stools and backs would be pressed against each other (the man's neighbour had left by now). As the phone calls continued (and no reason he shouldn't be on the phone as we were in the cafe not the library) I decided to go elsewhere too. I looked around and everyone else had also gone. Maybe it was a coincidence, but the rude man looked pleased with himself for the inconvenience he had caused.
I might well be wrong.
I went to the toilet. On the ground floor of the British Library the gents has an impressive 15 urinals. I wondered if these 15 had ever all been occupied at once. It seemed like a lot to have in one toilet. I guess if there was a school trip it might come in useful. But why then are there are only four or five washbasins. Does that say something about what percentage of men wash their hands after using the toilet?
Good news today. I gave in a comedy drama treatment to Channel 4 yesterday and they have commissioned a script today. I don't think I have ever seen such a quick decision. I am currently working on the second draft of the script I was writing before Christmas. Things might actually be coming together this year. Though it means I have to work. I did OK today. Hopefully things are on the up.
