There’s a man dancing on the petrol station forecourt. He’s wearing jeans and a tweed jacket and some sort of loafers and his straight out of the eighties fringe flops left and right and left again with every pop and lunge.
A line of people stares out through the glass, watching and waiting for their turn at the checkout. Out front, two guys posing with scooters point and grin and dancing man sees them and waves and just keeps on dancing. There’s no sound but the traffic raring down the dual carriageways and the hushed gush gulp and chug of the diesel pump pumping and the tank of my Multipla drinking and still he dances in time with himself.
It is only as I replace the pump that I realise my foot is tapping, only as my movement stops and I shuffle to replace the pump that I notice my foot was tapping at all.
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Written in response to this week’s Writers’ Adventure Group challenge:
WAG Topic #23: “Ripple”. When our characters walk their worlds, the world reacts. So for this week, look only at reactions. Observe a person and describe the reaction of the world to them. What can you tell about them based solely on the reaction of others? What kind of impression are they making on the world, the environment, the people around them, even on you? What is changing (even subtley) because of their existence? Are they aware of it?
11 Responses to Ripple – #fridayflash #WAG
Its funny how you can get drawn into what people are doing, even without realizing it.
Thanks for sharing
Were the others – those in line inside – touched by the rapture of the dancer?
Very cool story, Dan. Really like where it takes my imagination.
Lovely point of view of something that some might consider strange or weird, but giving it a poignancy.
I love it…. it’s amazing how little it takes to change the scene around us completely.
He acknowledges them and goes right on dancing, you have to like this guy.
Lovely moment, nicely captured.
I like this and it shows that even without us noticing we can get drawn into what others are doing. Nicely written.
I love that the young man is waving and dancing with joyful abandon!
Tapping one’s foot to the beat of life as seen by another.
Really liked this! 🙂
I love it when you find yourself drawn into something without realising you’re doing it. Great fun!
That guy is certainly comfortable in his own skin. Fun story!
More people should dance at gasoline stations. It’d relieve some of the sting of the price.
Lovely story Dan, with great description. I agree with John – more people should dance at gas stations. More people should dance, period.
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