the fascination of repetition 

the fascination of repetition

the noise of feet descending a staircase. the ritual of drinking a cup of tea. the noise certain packaging makes when it is opened. the air trapped inside a bag of crisps. the feel of a biro making contact with the first page of a new notebook. the indent the pen makes on the top sheet as it presses down on the bed of pages beneath. the beauty of bed, the complete comfort of covers in the morning. the absolute perfectness of the noise of certain seconds of certain songs at certain times. listening to a favourite album through earphones in a public place. the joy of travelling on buses, of being driven, of sitting still and moving at the same time, of watchng the outside pass. the strange happiness of crying. the act of touching an object, using it and of returning it to where it belongs. the fact that we give objects places to belong. the enjoyment of having a shower. looking at things i have looked at hundreds of times before. the perfect outline of shadows. the anticipation of opening a new packet of photographs. eating and tasting. a new pint of ale or a food not tried before - when eating and tasting force their way to the forefront of consciousness. falling asleep in the afternoon. the smell of the air sometimes. certain smells that evoke abstract memories whose presence can only be felt as a kind of vague nostalgia or yearning. waiting until the last moment to piss. the knowledge that a favourite item of clothing is nearly dry after a period of absence in the wash. believing a dream is real for a time and feeling each and every thing as if it were actually happening. the first mouthful of water on a hungover morning. the noise things make when i touch them, the flick of a switch, the click of a button, the zip of a zip. walking from one place to another. the endless variations in the colours of the sky. the fluidity of typing and not hitting a wrong key. long journeys on motorways that all look alike. movements made so often they no longer require thought. automatic doors. the way clothes become yours over time. the way people pronounce words. the perfect line of a pint of guiness. the point where land and water meet. the knowledge that all feelings eventually end. doing nothing sometimes. the fact that i am here and that things happen and will continue to happen.