#FridayFlash - The Invisible Man

I've been sitting on the bench in the churchyard for twenty minutes. I always choose this bench - it has a good view of the road so I can watch people coming and going, and for most of the day it's shaded by the bulk of the church behind me. It's a good place to sit and watch the world go by. I've been listening to the birds singing, and watching a young woman take photos of the headstones while her friend stands nearby. I can't hear what he's saying but she's laughing at whatever it is.



It takes me a few moments to realise the girl is coming over. She's not just headed in this direction - she's coming staight at me. Camera phone at the ready, she snaps several photos of me, all the while chattering to her friend about how the images need to go on Instagram, and how they'll make a brilliant photo prompt. I don't even know what a photo prompt is but it doesn't sound like anything I want to be a part of.



She keeps snapping and chatting, but she doesn't even realise she's looking right at me - all she sees is a battered pair of trainers in front of a bench. The girl jokes to her friend about meeting an invisible man and I flinch. She can't know how right she is. I don't find her jokes funny but people have no idea what it's like, trying to get through life without being seen. If it wasn't for self service check outs at the supermarket and automated tellers at the bank I'd be screwed.



Eventually she wanders off, but I can't leave until she's completely out of sight. I curse my decision to wear shoes today as they give me away, but really, would you walk barefoot around your local town centre?