Questions by Catriona Ferguson Hearing Myself Think offers a fascinating snapshot of a contemporary, global world. Was the story a deliberate attempt to examine where individuals place themselves within this epoch? Well, the sense of ‘now’ inside the world’s busiest airport seemed like a promising place to start. But I wouldn’t say I set out with such a grand theme in mind – the size of the idea would have been utterly disheartening. Recently I seem to have spent a lot of time in airports surrounded by people I don’t know. I always have the feeling I really should have bumped into someone by now, but I never have. So I wondered why that might be, and how long
- Jul 12,
Published in Prospect Magazine and New Writing 15 Heathrow Airport is one of the few places in England you can be sure of seeing a gun. These guns are carried by policemen in short-sleeved shirts and black flak-jackets, alert for terrorists about to blow up Tie-Rack. They are unlikely to confront me directly, but if they do I shall tell them the truth. I shall state my business. I’m planning to stop at Heathrow Airport until I see someone I know. In the busiest airport in the world this shouldn’t take long, and I expect to be home before Ally leaves for work. It is 6.43 a.m. My gaze slides between so many faces that I instantly forget everyone I
Jul 12,