Wed Jan 28 18:29:23 GMT 2009
Cold, blue morning filled with lines. Black fractal trees silhouetted against the delicate sky, steel rails making a double slice through flinty beds. A filthy, feathered finger of chimney smoke wagging at aeroplane contrails picked out in pink.
On the platform my breath catches fire as I exhale, a gentle fury of white vapour dancing and fading in the air. The rails hiss gently as a train approaches, electric motors whining as they decelerate.
On board, and I stand by the doors, swaying up against a newspaper on the left and a smartly dressed woman on the right. Hot glare of halogen from above. Air conditioning scrabbling at the chemical smells of freshly-applied perfumes, the animal smells of sweat and breath.