remote cards

There is a couple at a table in the outside part of the café, it’s a warm day, we’re sitting out there. He is sprawled. Brown trainers kicked off on to the ground. His legs across a neighbouring chair. Black socks, blue jeans, a t-shirt. He has long hair, straggly, tied back. A beard to match, a dusky, sandy kind of colour. His arms are covered in tattoos, long ones, extending all the way across his hands, right up to the knuckles. He smokes and drawls in conversation, utterly relaxed. She looks a little more “proper” in her manner. A black dress, casual, a red cardigan. Her hair is bobbed, jaw length, straight – like a librarian slash dominatrix. She has a stud in her nose and no apparent tattoos. She leans on the tables, her elbows, seemingly hanging on his every word. She smiles, and laughs when it seems appropriate. They are there for a good while, just hanging out. Till eventually they leave, he cycles by 2 minutes later, that blue vinyl courier bag over his shoulder, absent minded making his way to wherever.

Labels: ars electronica, girl, guy, linz, tattoo

A girl wanders through the art and travel section of the book shop. She wears a light black jacket, has a black t-shirt, and her long black hair is tied back in a pony tail. She looks about 18, fairly young, with a ring through her nose. She wears short, short, denim shorts that look like they are in danger of disappearing into intimate places. She has long, bare legs, is wearing chunky, chunky boots, soles that are several inches thick, then several inches more. Her legs are a riot of colour from the knees down. A rose to the side of one knee cap. Other bold large scale tattoos coming from the boot line, more flaring flowers. Quite what they all are I don’t really see, but one thing is clear – these are not casual tattoos – these are bold statements.

Labels: flower, girl, glasgow, tattoo

Muscle boy. The coffee shop in Buchanan Street is where I most often see him loitering. He seems to spend hours there. Always wearing a sleeveless green t-shirt, showing off his rippling muscles, a hat and sunglasses - regardless of the weather. Usually he gives the impression that he is only there to talk to girl, always hitting on someone, regaling the latest attractive woman with his stories of how cool he is, between flexing those tattooed arms. The girls usually have glazed expressions, nodding in a way that says they are politely humouring him. Tonight he is standing outside with a shaggy haired guy with a beard, and they are talking to a pair of girls. The body language says that if he stops talking for a second they will leave so fast, their bodies already half turned in preparation. I carry on to the book shop and potter about before going for a coffee in there. And muscle boy appears, I’ve never seen him in this one, so I am surprised. But apparently has friends waiting here for him. After a while they pass me on the way out. Muscle boy clowning around, dancing to the music, but in a gorilla fashion, stomping his feet, slumping his shoulders and swinging his arms. His friends nudge each other and snigger, exchanging “what is he like” glances. He reaches the exit, pulls himself up straight and muscled, and spins on the spot, before stepping out like he was something from Zoolander. The girl coming giggles as she passes, shakes her head, funny idiot.

Labels: boy, flirt, glasgow, muscle, show off, tattoo

The ads have started in the half empty cinema hall and the lights are still on. At the front there is an aisle which separates the main seats from a couple of rows that are too close to the screen. Floating above those - a bright yellow balloon. The over familiar logo of a fast food chain clearly visible as it just hangs there. Where did it come from? I don’t recall passing it on the way in. It hangs there, all nonchalant and balloon like, before it dips self-consciously. Drifting to the floor, and wafting towards to the side of the hall, hoping to be forgotten.

Wild blonde hair, tangles of snakes. A blue dress and leopard print tights. She stamps up the cinema steps with chunky army boots as she follows her boyfriend to the back of the hall. Complaining, she wanted something, wanted to do something. Once they are sat she shucks off her hoodie, and goes back out again. Stomping again, her dress strappy, thin lines leaving shoulders bare, and a rectangle of back, with a line of hieroglyphics up her spine. Five minutes later, she comes back, stomping up the stairs with those boots again.

Labels: balloon, blonde, boots, cinema, glasgow, tattoo

She is raking through the horror films. She has dark hair, tied up with a red bandana in a bow. She has that fifties/psycho Billy/whatever kind of look. With her hair off her neck I expect to see tattoos, but surprisingly I don’t see any. Nor on her bare arms. Glancing downwards though, I find them. On her feet. One foot has the White Rabbit, the other has a snoozing Mad Hatter, both done in a story book illustration style, fine blue line work. Other tattoos hinted at, disappearing beneath the line of her 3/4 length trousers. Her boyfriend comes over and she flashes him a DVD with enthusiasm, I expect to be a horror film she has found. Instead it is the film of the musical RENT. She oozes enthusiasm to watch it, he seems less than convinced.

Labels: dvd, girl, glasgow, mad hatter, rent, tattoo, white rabbit

In the cinema. A couple She has short blonde hair, boyish, punky, with a pink corona. She wears a navy blue nearly sleeveless blue top, it has a plunging neckline, which exposes the vivid ink across her chest, a heart on a chain dangling in front. She wears a short denim skirt, with bare legs, a studded belt, and flat, plain, tan coloured shoes. She walks with a definite swagger. He is a good deal taller than her, ropey muscles, with hints of tattoos at the wrist, at sleeve line, more subtly shown off. A black hat, woollen bunnet style, with skip cap front, worn at a slight angle, and never taken off. He walks with a slouch, his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans. As soon as they are seated she trots back down the stairs, nipping to the toilet before the film starts.

Labels: boy, giggling girls, ink, pink, slouch, swagger, tattoo