h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Getting to notice the Cheltenham Spa to Bristol Temple Meads regulars. Many of them dress down for Friday. The transformation it makes to people is amazing. There's a handsome, studious, intellectual looking black guy who is always impeccably turned out; like a civil servant. Understated. Smart. He is military in his demeanour and sever on the train. Most days he carries a briefcase and brolley and looks every bit the senior manager one step away from the board room. Today he looks no less bright, but he is dressed like a middle class schoolboy at the weekend. New jeans and clean loafers. A rugby shirt and light weight anorak. Nothing loud. He has transformed in other ways too. He no longer marches from the station, but saunters. Nothing hip and street cred, just relaxed. For the first time I see him chatting away with a colleague or fellow commuter. He appears approachable, sociable and humours.

There's another guy. Very different. None of the confidence. Short, slight, spivvy. A swirl of hair and a different outfit every day from flash Harry pin-stripe to slacks and a jacket. Even eye-wear changes daily from contacts to Vic Reeves style dark rimmed, rectangular frames, to brass wire-frame glasses. He doesn’t know who or what he is. On the train he always finds someone to talk at. On dress down Friday he goes for an e pensive looking shiny leather jacket. His legs look bandy in jeans. The message he gives? One of confusion and insecurity.