The guy sitting opposite in the London bound Chiltern service was annoying. He sat in the aisle seat working on his lap top with an air of self-importance. His computer case rested on the seat beside him and he remained oblivious to the rapidly filling carriage. Enter Jackie a young woman in a cap reminscent of Jimmy Crankie. Her imperious voice requested that the computer case be moved. My neighbour hastily complied putting the case on the rack and moving seats for Jackie to sit down. He continued to work, but Jackie had other ideas. She knew all about computers and began to interrogate our friend. What do you do she enquired. “I’m a management consultant” he answered grandly adding that it was highly technical. “Sound boring” came the response from Jackie. The management consultant shut his computer and attended to Jackie. The rest of the compartment meanwhile were trying to keep a straight face. Jackie was an avid video viewer so she wanted to know if Andrew – we now knew his life story – had seen her favourites. At Banbury Jackie was called by her mother, who had taken a seat some way from Jackie. Her mother enquired whether Jackie had been annoying anyone and said that she had told her not to speak to strangers. By this time everyone was rolling in the aisles. Andrew assured her that everything was find, except he had learned that he had a boring job. By this time he too had entered the spirit of the merriment. I’m wondering though if he will continue to take up more than his alloted space.

Jackie we found out was 30. Her mother described her as “ageless”.