First 'place-watch'

First 'place-watch': 
Robin Foale, 3/5/2013

Sitting in the far corner away from the others in the long corridor as I always do I watch. I like sitting in the corner. It makes me invisible to those I am behind and conceals me in the shadows. Here I can play any game, read any book I desire and not get persecuted for my taste. Although the seat is comfy enough, I sit with my back pressed against the corner of the wall, observing the 'flock' as I like to call them. Two such younger members sit opposite me. They are a couple, a blond that clings to her 'muscle' as I call him. He prefers however to listen to the device in his ears as his blond baas words of affection. Perhaps the two have run out of things to bleat to one another, or perhaps this is just what the two do after a long day. I don't know and I don't think about it for long as the open vent above my head causes the loud wind to distract me. I lean towards the window, seeing only pitch darkness. Disappointed I turn away and reminisce about the past. I can hear and feel the engine working underneath me, jogging my notebook as I sway from side to side. Tired I yawn and look out of the window again, still pitch black, yet a face has now come into view. Surprising me at first I quickly realise that it is the old female with short white hair sitting in front of me. Her face turns away from the window and I have to reposition myself to see her now holding the hand of what seems to be her old companion. A strong alpha male with a white moustache only I could wish for. He reads his travel guide in silence holding the hand of his mate. I am about to mistake this for some lost love like the other members of the flock when I suddenly see his face smile. It is a smile that peels away his wrinkles and gives him new life, removing the mistakenly stubborn exterior and replacing it with that of the happiest man alive. As his smile fills me with hope, I hear laughter at my side and notice that the younger members are now engaging in conversation with one another, both wielding smiles just as loving and hopeful as the alpha male's. Curious I look along the corridor and notice that the rest of the flock is now smiling. Is this some sort of power from the alpha male or just pure coincidence? I do not know. But everyone indeed seems to be smiling, whether that be the tired ticket collector, the miserable looking lady or the stressed girl on the phone, all now have a semblance of a smile on their lips. Even I start to feel my cheekbones shifting.
"Perhaps the flock isn't so bad after all." I think to myself as I begin to smile, sitting back and relaxing as I bob up and down on my long journey in the moving corridor back home.

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The above took place on a train and the character was loosely based on myself as I like sitting in privacy on these occasions. However, the darker moments of the person were inspired by the character Rorschach from the graphic novel 'Watchmen' who is pessimistic about humanity. Thus I decided to refer to the passengers as the 'flock' since that sounded like something he would say. Plus this was a good means of tricking my audience and conveying that sheep tend to copy one another as passengers on a train are doing similar things, however they in reality are all individuals.