March 28th
(08:26)
That’s quite an unusual name (if it’s
your real name). Mine’s much more
ordinary: John.

(08:28)
I assure you it’s my real name, and
not the strangest one in the family.
SH

(08:35)
Airports are dreadful places.
SH

(08:36)
Aeroplanes are even worse.
SH

(08:47)
Where are you going?

(08:47)
Minsk.
SH

(08:49)
Why are you going there? You’ll
freeze your arse off.

(08:50)
A case, John, why else?
SH

(09:06)
I don’t know. You could be a hockey
player, or a rare stamp collector, or
a history enthusiast.

(09:07)
Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
SH

(09:09)
They were wild guesses, there’s not
much I can tell from a few texts.

(09:10)
I can tell a lot.
SH

(09:27)
Like what?

(09:28)
I already knew you were a doctor,
but this morning I learned that
you’re most likely a GP.
SH

(9:43)
How could you tell?

(9:44)
Your texting pattern. Fifteen
minutes of silence followed by a
few minutes of replies. Fifteen
more minutes of silence, etc.
SH

(9:46)
Yeah, alright, you got me. I started
as a GP very recently and I’m a slave
to the schedule.

(9:47)
You imply that you were doing
something different before.
Something you preferred, if your
use of the word ‘slave’ means
anything. What was it?
SH

(9:50)
Come on John, I know you’re not
the fastest with a mobile keyboard,
but you had three minutes to
answer that question.
SH

(9:52)
This is incredibly tedious.
SH

(9:53)
It’s a cold, give them a box of
tissues and send them home.
SH

(9:55)
Someone sat next to me and they
look like they’re about to start a
conversation. Texting makes me
seem occupied.
SH

(9:58)
It didn’t work.
SH

(10:00)
Now he’s offended and won’t stop
scoffing.
SH

(10:02)
If you’re willing to take
the risk of sitting beside strangers –
busy looking strangers – and
engaging conversation, you must be
ready to face the consequences.
SH

(10:05)
John. Your appointment has to be
over now.
SH

(10:07)
Jesus! I didn’t reply before because I
was using the loo. Then, I was
reading your other texts, and that
took a while because you text a
lot. Now I only have three
minutes left before I have to see
another patient.

(10:08)
What did you do to the chatty
stranger?

(10:09)
I told him he was a kleptomaniac.
SH

(10:09)
Tell me what you were doing before
you started working as a GP.
SH

(10:10)
Why don’t you guess, if you’re so
clever.

(10:11)
I never guess.
SH

(10:12)
I need to go; my flight is leaving
soon. Don’t think this conversation
is over.
SH

(10:26)
Have a nice flight!


March 29th
(12:03)
How’s Minsk?

(20:32)
Minsk was a waste of time. Back in
London. Can’t talk. Exciting things are
happening.
SH

(20:47)
Alright. Have fun, but be careful!

March 31st
(21:02)
Are you still alive? Are you involved
with the two bombings we had in
London?

(23:53)
Yes.
SH