Large Sunglasses...

... are everywhere.

The British are a funny breed of people. Most of the time the stiff upper lip prevails, and for foreigners who have lived here for a while*, the stiff upper lip begeins to develop. Perhaps this is due to the bitingly miserable winters that we have and while the wind whips around you and a spray of raindrops pelt at you from all directions as if a natural Evian misters, although laced with dissolved dirt fumes and grime.

Then as soon as a ray of sunshine shatters through the blanket of grey clouds out come the sidewalk tables, people sit smiling/shivering in the chilly air clutching their mini-espressos trying to warm up their hands, or groups gather around pub benches, slopping thier drinks everywhere while trying to maintain conversation as the wind whips their hair into human cotton candy. But no matter, the sun is out.

Oh, and out come the sunglasses...

Everyone hides behind them. Even myself, when I can be bothered to swap my comfy spectacles for contact lenses. However, in recent (fashion) seasons the trend for sunglasses seems to be the bigger the better. As soon as I buy a pair of cheapo sunglasses that shade my eyes, the trend is to have a much larger pair that also shield your eyebrows. Then as soon as I've got a pair of those, ones that cover your cheeks and then ones that cover your forehead. Pretty soon we'll be toting Power Ranger style sunvisors that cover your whole head. It will be called The Sunglass.

So, yesterday I was running late and donned my trusty glasses instead of tortoishell Ray-Bans even though it was jolly sunny. Just as I was about to leave the house the post arrived and so I grabbed what was mine and stuffed them into my satchel and then pegged it out of the door.

I hopped on the bus and settled into a comfy seat. London busses now have a wonderful seating configuration of 4 seats, 2 in a row and the other facing the other two. So it ends up that sometimes you end up oppostite some really random tramp who stinks like an inhabitant of the Bog of Eternal Stench, but because you're by the window and sandwiched in on the other side you just have to stare out of the window and feign ignorance while silently wishing someone else would comment on the stink.

Anyway, on the bus on my way to temp job...

Bus stops and a guy boards the bus. Decides that with all the rest of the seats available on the bus to sit in the one right opposite me. And he's wearing REALLY big sunglasses that cover half cheeks and there's only a naughty hint of an eyebrow peeking over the top of the frames. Now this is the thing: the lenses aren't totally dark, so I am able to track his eye movements everytime I glance up surreptitiously which are virtually non existant since he is staring at me with a hint of a smile on his face. I don't mind this as he's not bad looking, but on further inspection he's wearing white Reebok Classics: Not A Good Sign as this indicates Total Chav.

So, I look away and try and busy myself by looking out of the window when I suddenly remember that I have my post to sift through. I look through the pile and see one with the postmark from the Medical School. My heart starts to race as I open the letter and begin to read.

blah... blah... blah... unsuccessful... blah... blah... cannot divulge your interview results... blah blah... as this will pose an unfair advantage to other candidates should you wish to re-apply later on... this does not reflect negatively on your ability to be a doctor... blah... blah...

And I feel the pinpricks of tears at the corners of my eyes.

And suddenly I wish that I had my Trusty Sunglasses on.

Or even a Sunglass.

*This does not apply to Americans.