The platform was crowded as it was every morning with hundreds of commuters jostling to catch their connection into the city. Damien clutched his man bag to his chest , inching his way forward to the platform edge so he could be one of the first to get on board.

The train arrived, doors slid open and a battle for seats commenced. He was lucky and found a single seat opposite a bowler hatted gentleman, engrossed in his morning newspaper. Damien was heading for the city and an interview for a new job. Excited and eager to get on with this new adventure, he flumped down in his seat and with a sigh said to his fellow passenger

“Gee it’s a fight to get on and get a seat, isn’t it…!”

There was no response. The bowler hat and newspaper didn’t move an inch. Maybe he hadn’t heard, so Damien said again

“I said it’s a fight getting on the trains in the morning isn’t it?”

The newspaper moved slightly and a pair of gold rim spectacles peered at him over the top of “The Times” front page.

Bowler hat man - as Damien had now christened his companion - glowered at him, said nothing and with a brisk shake of the newspaper, returned to his reading.

“Hmmm…obviously not a morning person…” mused Damien. Nothing was going to dampen his spirit this morning. A new job in the heart of the city was a huge step forward, he was delighted and proud of himself for getting it.

“Tickets from Oxford please…” a buxom woman in a railway uniform with buttons straining hard to stay closed, came bustling through the carriage. Damien greeted her with a smile and handed over his ticket. Her bright red lipstick smile accentuated a mouthful of almost too perfect, bright, white teeth.

“Thanks my darling…” she handed back the ticket and bustled on down the train.

Bowler hat man moved not an inch.

The carriage full of people was surprisingly quiet as the train gathered speed. Images of red brick houses morphing into trees and fields slid silently past the window. Damien pulled a well worn paperback from the front pocket of his man bag and slid further down in the seat. He was soon lost in the story and oblivious to his surroundings. Only the recognisable sound of bottles clinking together broke his concentration, as the refreshments trolley came through the carriage.

“Teas and coffees anyone?” A cheery voice and the rattle of loose change being scraped from the cash drawer prompted Damien to search is his pocket for some money, requesting

“White coffee with milk and sugar please…”

Suddenly, to his astonishment a voice came from behind “The Times” the newspaper. A very much “Queen’s english” accent said gruffly.

“Black…no sugar please…”

Clutching his cardboard coffee cup with both hands, Damien watched as his travelling companion was finally revealed. Placing “The Times” carefully on his knees, bowler hat man pulled a tiny, leather purse from the inside pocket of his black pinstripe suit jacket and handed over the payment. Returning purse to pocket, he took his coffee from the attendant and proceeded to stare out of the window. From behind the rim of his coffee cup, Damien observed the man with interest. Pinstripe suit, bowler hat, gold rimmed spectacles and…what was this…atop the pinstripe waistcoat was a full colour Mickey Mouse tie, it’s perfect knot framed beautifully by the collar of a sky blue shirt. Damien could not hide his amazement. Bowler hat man had a personality after all!

With a slight laugh in his voice he immediately said

“Man, that’s one great tie you’re wearing!”

Bowler hat man turned from the window to look straight at Damien and with a cold, emotionless expression said

“Young man, my tie is my business and not for general discussion…”

With that he placed his empty coffee cup on the floor, picked up his newspaper, opening it wide with a flourish and disappeared behind it once more.

Damien’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. Shaking his head in disbelief at this rude retort, he wondered why the man was so unwilling to make simple conversation. Was this what a lifetime of daily commute and work in the city did to you? Returning to his paperback he began to think again about this new job adventure and vowed to consider carefully, should he be offered the position, was it what he really wanted?