There is always something present in your life that you enjoy - the small things that shouldn't matter, but actually provide small pleasure. Things like picking grass burrs out of your dog's long coat, or letting your dog off the lead for the first time, or fixing and rebuilding your classic, 16-year-old Scalextric track.

 

These things all somehow manage to be exciting, therapeutic or fun. People-watching is another small activity that does this. Sitting in a food court somewhere, watching people go by is amazingly entertaining and satisfying. There go the "cool" kids, doing their stupid walks in their unflattering clothes, pretending that everything is okay and they are supreme, when you know they have problems at home and are failing in school. There go the new couple, completely infatuated with each other. There goes the artistic extrovert person, with their brightly coloured, mismatching clothes, flamboyant hairstyle and crazy shoes. And so on.

 

But this extends to other places, like small group for example. There are the boys, athletic, clever and good-looking, who make you feel inferior. There are the popular girls, sociable, pretty and happy, who intimidate you not because you want them, but because you know that no matter how hard you try you'll never be good enough. There's your friends, who pay out your girlfriend blatantly in your face, not knowing that you are trying your very hardest to keep quiet and avoid an altercation.

 

It's not only in small group that people are easy to read. Some of your friends pretend they care, but clam up tight and ignore you when you try to help them. Some of them expect you to always be 100%, so you can deal with all their problems all the time. There might be an ex-girlfriend, who is still nice to you, but you both know behind the facade that it's because of you she turned to alcohol and had sex with all those guys, ensuring her depression and ruining her life. There might be people you don't know too well, but surprise you by going completely against the mould.

 

And then there's you yourself. What kind of person are you?