Place-watch stories (3/5/2013)

Asked to 'place-watch' in two different locations and write for twenty minutes without giving away the location, I decided to write the following two pieces afterwards I explain the process of making them. 


First 'place-watch': 

Sitting in the far corner away from the others in the long corridor as I always do I watch. I like sitting in the corner. It makes me invisible to those I am behind and conceals me in the shadows. Here I can play any game, read any book I desire and not get persecuted for my taste. Although the seat is comfy enough, I sit with my back pressed against the corner of the wall, observing the 'flock' as I like to call them. Two such younger members sit opposite me. They are a couple, a blond that clings to her 'muscle' as I call him. He prefers however to listen to the device in his ears as his blond baas words of affection. Perhaps the two have run out of things to bleet to one another, or perhaps this is just what the two do after a long day. I don't know and I don't think about it for long as the open vent above my head causes the loud wind to distract me. I lean towards the window, seeing only pitch darkness. Disappointed I turn away and reminisce about the past. I can hear and feel the engine working underneath me, jogging my notebook as I sway from side to side. Tired I yawn and look out of the window again, still pitch black, yet a face has now come into view. Surprising me at first I quickly realise that it is the old female with short white hair sitting in front of me. Her face turns away from the window and I have to reposition myself to see her now holding the hand of what seems to be her old companion. A strong alpha male with a white moustache only I could wish for. He reads his travel guide in silence holding the hand of his mate. I am about to mistake this for some lost love like the other members of the flock when I suddenly see his face smile. It is a smile that peels away his wrinkles and gives him new life, removing the mistakenly stubborn exterior and replacing it with that of the happiest man alive. As his smile fills me with hope, I hear laughter at my side and notice that the younger members are now engaging in conversation with one another, both wielding smiles just as loving and hopeful as the alpha male's. Curious I look along the corridor and notice that the rest of the flock is now smiling. Is this some sort of power from the alpha male or just pure coincidence? I do not know. But everyone indeed seems to be smiling, whether that be the tired ticket collector, the miserable looking lady or the stressed girl on the phone, all now have a semblance of a smile on their lips. Even I start to feel my cheekbones shifting.
"Perhaps the flock isn't so bad after all." I think to myself as I begin to smile, sitting back and relaxing as I bob up and down on my long journey in the moving corridor back home.  

Robin Foale, 3/5/2013


The above took place on a train and the character was loosely based on myself as I like sitting in privacy on these occasions. However, the darker moments of the person were inspired by the character Rorschach from the graphic novel 'Watchmen' who is pessimistic about humanity. Thus I decided to refer to the passengers as the 'flock' since that sounded like something he would say. Plus this was a good means of tricking my audience and conveying that sheep tend to copy one another as passengers on a train are doing similar things, however they in reality are all individuals.   


Second 'place-watch': 

It's a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. The townsfolk hurry about their business going to wherever they need to be. Although many in fact sit in the sun on chairs, others on the freshly cut grass. Two characters sit cross legged in front of a stone guardian. One is thin and short, wearing a white tuxedo despite the heat. The other is a huge ape of a man in shorts and a combat vest. The two have been sitting there on the hard pebbly ground for nearly a hour, silent, ignoring the chattering of passerby's and children playing around them. 

Finally, the ape of a man can't stand the waiting and turns to his companion. 
"Well?" he says in his deep booming voice.
"Well what?" the man in the tuxedo says in a calm and collected voice. Not taken his gaze away from the stone guardian.
"Are we done yet? I can't feel my legs anymore and I'm starting to get thirsty." 
"Well, if you want to leave be my guest. No one is stopping you."
"You know bloody well that I can't do that. Especially since we're so close to the boss's establishment." The ape of a man says glancing up at the grand Gothic building behind the stone guardian with it's gigantic windows which, although dark glisten in the sunlight and match perfectly with the reddish brown stone walls. 
A group of children run past the two men, it seems they are chasing a flock of pigeons. Smiling the ape of a man points at them.
"HA! Remember when we used to do that?" he chuckles revealing a wide smile. 
"If I recall correctly, it was you who did it. Not me." the tuxedo man replies, still intently starring at the stone guardian. 
"Besides, I left such childish things behind years ago." he continues with a voice full of pride. 
The ape of a man wipes his nose and yawns again, annoyed with his partner.
"Yea yea... whatever. You used to be a kid like that once. There is no denying that at least. Right?" 
"Perhaps..." the man in the tuxedo says lightly before suddenly stopping.

The children are now climbing over the stone guardian. Shocked by this the tuxedo man is about to speak up but stops, biting his lip in frustration. 
"Hey! Don't you little rug rats have any respect!? That's the stone guardian for crying out loud!" the ape of a man yells in defiance to which the children don't respond. 
The ape of man then proceeds to get up only to be stopped by his companion. 
"Let it go... they can't hear you." he says with a hint of sadness in his voice. His partner still standing sighs in annoyance.    
"I know, but it still pisses me off." He says stamping on the ground. 
Smiling the man in the tuxedo gets up and puts a hand on the huge man's shoulders. 
"Come on you big lummocks. Let's get that drink."
"I thought you weren't done?"
"I don't think I will ever be done apologising. Now come on. You know we can't stray from one another." The tuxedo man finishes saying before turning to leave.
"Hey?" The ape of a man calls to him as starts to walk away.
"Yes?" The tuxedo man responds, turning on the spot to face his partner.
"Do you think they will... the mortals I mean. Ever remember him?" The ape of a man says to which the tuxedo man actually doesn't have a response for once. Instead he pauses and after a minute responds.
"Perhaps. Time will only tell my tall friend. Time will only tell..."
And with that the two walk away into the sunlight, leaving the statue of the bearded man to sit in his seat of stone, for ever more.  

Robin Foale, 3/5/2013


The above took place in the grounds surrounding Exeter Cathedral and the stone guardian I refereed to was the statue of Richard Hooker. Unlike my last piece, I wanted to experiment with character conversations instead of just one singular character monolog. Therefore I included two of them in the above scene. The characters were not based on anyone I knew, however I felt they made for good polar opposites, thus not characters you would expect to see with one another unless put into a situation as I did. The situation being one of supernatural occurrence as I wanted the pair to be kind of like angels, but not really angels at the same time, which is why they can't be seen.