I am walking through Rotterdam to take the boat to the academy. As I walk passed people in my rush, I pick up tiny fragments of converstation here are three of them, I've translated them from the Dutch:

1. a young lady walking fast towards me, talking on her phone and looking happy: "Yes... no.. he was rearing to go... yeah really....You know... the little string that comes out the back? ... Yeah. like that!."

2. An older man, drunk, talking to an imaginary friend: "I've always done everything for her, you know? I'd do anything... I take her into my home. You know? And then she starts stealing all my things! You know? I say to her: steal your own stuff, you know?"

3. An middle aged man talking on the phone: "What the fuck? Here I am trying to get my life back on track and I see a little light at the end of the tunnel, and now it is all dark again. What the Fuck! I sent you the fucking letter!"

Later on, back at the station, 10 o'clock in the evening, all lights and glitter. A man looking like a dishevelled version of father Christmas with a knotty, dirty beard sees me approach, looks at me earnestly and says: "I'm going shopping now, goodbye."