I walk into the pool changing room. It is about ten in the morning on a weekday and shouldn’t be crowded. It’s not. The only other person in there is a man in his late fifties, early sixties. He has a towel wrapped around his waist. He’s in front of an open locker. Suddenly, there’s an eerie sci-fi type sound – a bit like the theme from the X Files. The man reaches into his locker and pulls out a phone as I walk past him on my way to a toilet cubicle. Behind me I can hear him gruffly snarl, “What is it now?” I enter the cubicle and sit down. “Yes, yes I will. I’ve got to go – I’m very busy working.” Say what now? Oh – that’s such a lie! Unless his job somehow involves walking around change rooms in a state of undress. That seems to be the end of the conversation. No “Bye” or “See you later” or “I’ll call you soon.” Sitting there in silence, I start to wonder about this man and to whom he was talking. My natural assumption is that his snappiness was directed towards his wife. It was unlikely to be anybody from his work as they’d probably have a good idea that he wasn’t really busy working. No – my money is on his wife. It’s unlikely that he would be so rude and abrupt to anyone else (though it is possible that he’s a total asshole and talks to everyone like this – but I doubt it.) My logic is, ashamedly, based on my own experience. The one person that I’m the rudest and most abrupt with is my own wife. I try not to be but am not always successful. Still, I’d like to think that I’m not as bad as this guy. When I’m done with the cubicle, I come back out. I’m a bit surprised to see that the man is not now dressed in a business suit but is in full leathers, a motor bike helmet on the bench. I wonder where he’s riding to and what further lies he’ll unleash throughout his day.