The tray didn't just hit the floor. It crashed and smashed his lunch to pieces. Serves you damn well right, I thought. You were staring again.
He stood stock-still and looked down at the food. Suddenly I got up and moved towards him. I hadn't intended to, hadn't wanted to help him. I called to the woman behind the counter. She closed her mouth and brought a cloth to clean up the mess. I picked up crockery, put it on the tray. There was a soppy stain on his trousers and through it you could see just how bony his knees were. Like the rest of him. All bones, dangling jacket and hanging trousers. Stooped shoulders and mile-long arms. Then he smiled at me. A wonderful smile that creased up his worn face and totally surprised me.
"Thank you."
I shoved the tray at him and went back to my table.
I worked at a large publishing company and ate lunch in the canteen. I had noticed him because he stared at me. He was weird-looking. His hair was badly cut and his clothes were ancient and dull; too-short corduroys, baggy at the knees and colour-less sweaters, dotted with fluff. Often he sat alone and just picked at his food. Or he read and jotted things down.
A few days after the crash, he stopped at the table I was sharing with Mark from proof reading, and asked if he might sit down. I said the seats were taken and continued eating. He apologised and took his tray off somewhere else.
"What's your problem, Leanna?" asked Mark.
"No problem. It's just that I like to choose who I share my mealtimes with."
"A bit rough on the old chap though."
I shrugged.
It was Mark who told me more
"Interesting chap. Sub-editor. Been all over the world," said Mark.
I decided to find the newspaper more interesting and finally Mark shut up and finished smoking.
"Asked your name," he said.
"He what?"
"Yeah."
"What'd you say?"
"Leanna, of course."
I folded the newspaper.
"I've loads of work this afternoon."
"Said you look familiar," said Mark. "Like someone he knew."
相关单词：dangling
dangling解释：悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
dangling例句：
The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。
相关单词：creased
creased解释：（使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的过去式和过去分词 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹； 皱皱巴巴
creased例句：
You've creased my newspaper. 你把我的报纸弄皱了。
The bullet merely creased his shoulder. 子弹只不过擦破了他肩部的皮肤。
相关单词：baggy
baggy解释：adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的
baggy例句：
My T-shirt went all baggy in the wash.我的T恤越洗越大了。
Baggy pants are meant to be stylish,not offensive.松松垮垮的裤子意味着时髦，而不是无礼。
相关单词：jotted
jotted解释：v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下
jotted例句：
I jotted down her name. 我匆忙记下了她的名字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The policeman jotted down my address. 警察匆匆地将我的地址记下。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
相关单词：shrugged
shrugged解释：vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）
shrugged例句：
Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：decided
decided解释：adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
decided例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
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