Thursday 25 March 2004

Mirror Moment

So, they're leaving. His scruffy friend has decamped to the toilet.

Standing up to put on his coat he takes a moment to check himself in the long mirrored wall down the side of the restaurant. Standing full front to it beside his table surrounded by other diners he readjusts his shirt collars. Smoothes the lapels of his jacket. Pin stripe suit. Smart. Readjust cuffs. One at a time. Casually with an almost imperceptible sideways head movement checks the hair, first one way, then the other. Asymmetrical haircut, glossed with product, higher in the off centre ridge. Puts on coat, caresses the buttons as he closes them up. Checking done, he stands for a moment, that could almost be a few minutes, admiring the image reflected back at him.

At which point, scruffy friend returns from the bathroom in his olive green combat pants, having not stood next to the razor for several days. Passing an empty table he stops to finish off a half empty glass of water that the waiter is trying to clear away. Having gulped down the remains of somebody else's glass grabs his jacket and the pair of them leave.

Scruffy goes first, pin stripe man follows dragging a small travel case behind him.

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