Tangled Dreams

CHAPTER 5: THE SKETCH OF A DREAM (Part 5) | Syaiddah Mahmood

After meeting Adam, I revisited many places in London. Previously, the government representative's historical briefing felt similar to a robot providing me with the necessary information, indirectly creating a perception in my mind. However, these perceptions were now embellished due to Adam's explanations about various other aspects of these locations.

For example, we visited Trafalgar Square on a weekday. Adam chose a rather strategic seating location beside the smallest police box in London. I had been there several times already and observed the place. I had noticed the police box before and, in fact, had included it in one of my earlier drawings. However, I had not known that it was a police box. To my eyes, it was just a huge, cylindrical lamppost with a diameter of two feet that was not more than seven feet high and had a lamp hanging at the top. Was this really the smallest police box in London?

"If you don't believe me, look through the small window. There's a telephone connected to the central police station. The small space is only room enough for one officer to observe everything that's going on in the area," Adam explained clearly.

I peeped in and saw cleaning equipment such as brooms and buckets. The small telephone he mentioned was there. My perceptions continued to change. Previously, this lamppost was part of the background for one of my drawings. But now, it had become the main focus. Excitedly, I took out my iPad to sketch the scene – a crowd of people relaxing near the smallest police box in London assumed to be only a lamppost.

At noon, Adam took out sandwiches and red apples from some brown paper bags that he had brought from home. Until now, I could not really enjoy a lunch that in my view was not substantial enough, but merely a snack. As the weather was already chilly and my body fat was being burnt rapidly to keep my body warm, food such as apples and simple sandwiches were just appetisers to me. In less than three hours, I would feel hungry again. My stomach would rumble as if it had been hungry all day.

Both of us sat together along with about a hundred others who were enjoying their lunch outdoors. Some had brought red and white mats. Some just sat on the stairways close to the monuments on display. Some were in groups, others were alone. They relaxed under the overcast sky enjoying their food.

"This is the way we do it. There's only an hour for lunch. It's too short to go to a restaurant or bistro. So most people choose to relax near their workplaces, or not eat at all. After all, with a sandwich like this... a few bites and it's gone!" Adam explained as he bit into his sandwich. He was so right! Those thin slices of bread just vanished, like a light snack.

Other than visiting places, Adam also arranged other interesting activities. He had many friends who were willing to help me with the "City of London" project. I was offered the opportunity to observe them for a day in their lives. So far, I had observed his friend Rachel, who worked in a private nursery school, and Michael, who was a soldier with the Horse Guards Parade, as well as Michelle, who worked at the London Eye. They all shared a variety of experiences and stories with me.

"Why the grin?"

I was startled from my daydream.

"People will think you have gone mad, grinning there by yourself," Adam teased again. I pinched his arm. He groaned in pain and apologised.

"Where are we going after this?" I changed the subject.

"Why? I know you want to draw here, right?" He answered my question with a question. This fellow seemed to be able to read my mind. I nodded.

"Just go ahead and draw. I'm meeting some friends across the road. When you've finished, look for me over there," he explained as he stood up. He gave the last remaining apple to me before he left. I smiled and was really glad that I had met Adam. With him had come new inspiration for my new collection of drawings.

I took out my iPad and my fingers began to dance across the screen to capture the scene in front of my eyes. Noon under the sun. The smallest police box in London. Such wonderful sights and meaningful moments here in Trafalgar Square.