Strangers

Today I was standing on Dunfermline High Street, which quite possibly isn't called Dunfermline High Street, but it's the main street and it's in Dunfermline so I'm going with that and may approach the council to make it official if it's not already called that. This is like virtually any other High Street, pedestrianised and plenty wide enough to pass people on.

So, while standing (still) next to the cash machine my friend was using, I didn't exactly expect to be knocked off my feet by someone walking straight into me. Basic sense dictates that if someone is standing in a space, you can't actually walk through that particular space without causing some sort of disruption. But still, I got walked straight into, glowered at and then something incomprehensible was muttered at me that was quite definitely not "sorry". Because I have manners, I automatically said sorry myself, because that's what normal people do upon colliding with someone regardless of blame, and got rewarded with a look of utter disgust at the audacity of thinking that a mere apology could compensate for my being in their path.

I can only assume that the person in question had walked that exact line every day at that time for 45 years and did not expect to find someone blocking their progress. Understandable for them to be upset really, I'm not even from Dunfermline, and there I was, waltzing in, standing on their pavement, using their air etc. I am actually quite ashamed now.