Monday, November 05, 2007

People Watching in Sweden

I am officially a commuter. It took me 92 minutes door-to-door this morning. And a lot longer getting back. The trains were late this evening. Both of them. That’s a solid amount of time but I got a lot of reading done, so it wasn’t too bad. Of course we’ll see when I’m commuting solely in the dark. It’s still kind of light when I leave the apartment in the morning. But pitch black coming home.

Being on the train gave me plenty of time to think. And people watch. And read as I already mentioned. But more exciting I people watched. It’s a great pastime. So many interesting characters ride public transportation. Today I saw just a wide range of them.

I saw the young dad with his young kids taking them to dagis. Gotta get those kids in the state run daycare.

I saw the hot blonde girl that was the epitome of the Swedish stereotype.

I saw the bum, who still looked like he was drunk. Which is impressive and sad all at the same time considering it was Monday morning.

I saw all kinds of students from high school to university, studying, reading text books, finishing up homework on the way into school.

I saw the old man who looked like a kind old grandpa who was heading to work still looking sharp in his nice winter coat and fashionable old man hat. You know the kind. The kind that farfar used to wear.

I saw the young Stockholm man with his slicked back hair, fancy sports jacket and too tight pants on his way to his job.

I saw the older lady who was heading into town with her fluffy white dog. For what I have no idea. It was early and it seems silly to me to take a dog on the train when it should be out for a walk that early.

And I saw the train station teeming with people in the way to work. And I realized that I was one of them. In my khakis and blue shirt. Leather briefcase that CBCC gave me and that has replaced my well-used and well-loved backpack. My life changed drastically today. Oh shit.

6 comments:

  1. In point of fact, HairySwede, there is no such thing as pants that are 'too tight'.

    If you have a little extra dick you'd be a fool not to show it off.

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  2. Yeah, showing off is all you can do, with a dick in deep freeze :) Frozen liquid gives it an extra 10%, so why not freeze it..?

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  3. extra dick and deep freezing one?
    for gods sakes people..lol

    Made me laugh out loud though!

    I agree,whats with the too tight pants?

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  4. seems some people subscribe to the if you've got it flaunt it attitude while others say keep it somewhat hidden, either way the tight pants need to be stretched out just a little bit.

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  5. haha allright, i guess my coment wont fit in the discussion above.. But i just wanted to say that I think I like your blog, what your writing. It's interesting that you as a foreigner, look upon sweden exactly the way Swedes does. With some kind of melancholy- you like it but you dont like it. Personally I sometimes feel that Sweden is too perfect.

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  6. Thanks! I'm glad you like the blog. I think ytou're right on when it comes to my views on Sweden. I really like it, but sometimes I don't. It seems to be a common theme here in Sweden. I never actually realized it. It's an interesting thing to think about really, that a place can awaken such diverging feelings.

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