Never-Trust-Appearances

NeverTrustAppearancesRushhourinaprovincialtowniscertainlynotsobusyasinLondon,butevensothereareplentyofpeoplemovingabout.Longpatientqueueswaitwearilyforbuses.Never-endinglinesofcarsarecheckedwhileredtrafficlightschangetogreen.Thousandsofpeoplearepackedtightlyintrains,themen'sfacesburiedintheireveningpaperswhilewomentryinvaintoknit.Inaslowtrainitmaywellbeanhour'sjourneytotheirstation.JamesSaxonisinhisusualcomfortablecorner,quietlysmokingacigarette.Whenheistravellingbytrainatthistime,healwaysreachesthestationattenpastfivebythestationclock,buthenevercatchesthe5:14train.Insteadhetravelsbythetrainwhichleavesattwenty-fourminutespastfivesoastobesureofgettinghiscornerseat.Therearenofirst-classcompartmentsofreservedseatsonthistrain.Heappearstobeabsorbedinthesportsnewsonthebackpageofhispaperandignoresthehurryingcrowds.FacinghimthiseveningthereisaFinnishyouthofeighteen,MattiArpola.ThisishisfirstvisitofEngland,thoughhealreadyknowsGeoffrey,theeldestsonoftheJacksonfamily,withwhomheisgoingtostay.Asthereareseveralpeoplestanding,JamesSaxonistheonlypersonhecanseeclearly.MattidecidesthatheisprobablyatypicalEnglishman,andheobservesJamescarefully.Canhereallybetypical?hethinks.Hehasanumbrella,neatlyrolled,butnobowlerhat;infact,nohatatall.Ofcourse,heisreadingaboutcricketandheisreservedandnotinterestedinotherpeople.Butheisonlyofaverageheightandhishairisnotfair,butasdarkasthatofanItalian,andcurly,withalmostnoparting.Heisnotsmokingapipe,andalthoughweforeignersthinkthatarealEnglishmanoughttohaveamoustache,heisclean-shaven.Hisnoseisslightlycrooked.Whataseriousfacehehas!Heisfrowningalittle,buttheeyesbeneathhisworried-lookingforeheadaresincereandhonest.Idon'tthinkheisintelligent.Hisclothesareanythingbutsmart.Infact,theyareratherold,thoughwellbrushed.Eventhoughheisnotwearingaweddingring,heisprobablymarried,withperhapsthreechildren.Hisglovesarefur-linedandhistrouserswellpressed.Hekeepsfartoomanythingsinhispockets,sohissuitlooksbadlyoutofshape.Whatdull,old-fashionedleathershoesheiswearing!Hisbriefcaseisoldtooandbulging,sothatthezip-fastenerdoesnotcloseproperly.TherearetheinitialsJ.S.onit.IshisnameJohnSmith?Ithinkheisprobablyanofficeclerkorashopassistant.Doeshelooklikeateacher,though?Anyhow,heliveswithaplainwifeandfivechildreninasmallworker'shousewithatinygarden,wherehespendshisleisuretimediggingandweedingandmowingthelawn,orpaintingthetool-shed.Buttonight,firstheishelpinghiswifetoputthechildrentobedandthenheistakinghertothecinemaasthisispayday.Orishevisitingthelocalpub?Doeshedrinkwhisky(IbelievemostEnglishmendo)ordoeshepreferbeer?Iamsureheverymuchlikesacupoftea.Heseemsquiteenergetic,buthiscomplexionispaleandheisverythin.Doeshefinditdifficulttosatisfytheneedsofhismiserablewifeandsevenunfortunatechildren?Poorfellow!Iamsorryforhim.Atlast,shortlyafteraquarterpastsixbyMatti'swatch,thetrainreachesLakewellJunction,andMattiimmediatelyseesGeoffreywaitingforhim.Theygreeteachother.AtfirstMatticannotfindhisticket,butitisdiscoveredinhisbulgingcoatpocket.Hegivesituptotheticket-collectorandthetwoboysgoofftofindGeoffrey'sfather'sear.Nearittherestandsanothercar,amagnificentRolls-Royce,andahandsome,uniformedchauffeurisholdingthedooropenwhileJamesSaxonstepsin.Whoisthat?Mattiasks.Whyishegettingintothatcar?Wheredoeshelive?Helookslikeapoorly-paidclerkoraworkman.Geoffreylaughsloudlyasifthisisagoodjoke.'ThatisSirJamesSaxon,hereplies.Hehasafortuneofaroundtwomillionpounds,andcontrolsforty-twofactoriesinthisareaalone.Heisabachelorwholivesinafourth-storeyluxuryflat,so,ifhefeelslikeit,hecangoofftotheRivieraforamonthortwo.NextweekheisflyingtoJapanonbusinessinhisprivateaeroplane,thoughpeoplesayheverymuchpreferstravellingbytrain.Heissaidtohavetwenty-onesuits,butheisalwaysseeninthesameoldone.Bytheway,Iremembernow.HisfatherandmotherarebothFinns:perhapsthatiswhyhetakesnointerestincricket.HisrealnameisJussiSaksalainen,butheisnowanaturalisedBritishsubjectwithanEnglishname.Hedoesn'tlookatallFinnish.Here'syourothercase.PutitdownaminutewhileIunlockthecar.Doyouenjoygardening?Ifso,youcanhelpme:digging,weedingandmowingthelawn.AndI'mpaintingthetool-shedtomorrow.Youdon'tknowhowtoplaycricketyet,butI'mtakingyoutoamatchonSaturday.CanyouspeakEnglishanybetternow?YoucansoonlosethatFinnishreserve.Comealong!Let'sgetgoing!I'mhungryandhot.Mattirememberssadlyallthathisschoolteacherssayabouthisover-activeandunreliableimagination.Perhapstheyarerightafterall.(973words)