“You have to get people’s attention,” Esme said. “If it’s just one or two, people will ignore them.”
They waited a few minutes for an 88 to arrive. This time, Esme didn’t push Libby out of the way as they boarded, and instead made a great show of directing her to the seat next to Dylan. Esme sat down in the row in front of them, next to a lady reading a newspaper.
“Is that ‘Rush Hour Crush’?” Esme said to the lady as the bus pulled off. “Can I read it too?”
The woman gave a disgruntled sniff but moved the paper a fraction so Esme could see it.
“What’s ‘Rush Hour Crush’?” Libby asked.
“It’s where people try and find someone they saw on the bus or tube, because they fancy them. It’s mine and Dylan’s favorite bit.”
“It is not,” Dylan said with an embarrassed cough.
“I’ve never heard of it; can I see too?” Libby said, leaning forward.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, you two have it,” the lady snapped, thrusting the paper toward Esme.
“Thank you,” Esme said brightly, then held it up for Libby to read.
To the dark-haired guy with the red backpack on the Central line this morning. We caught each other’s eye at Bond Street, but I was too embarrassed to say hello. Fancy a drink sometime?
Blond Girl with Green Satchel
“I wonder if any of these people actually find the person they’re looking for,” Libby said.
“That’s it!” Esme shouted, startling Libby. “We should do one of these for Frank.”
“Erm, that’s a nice idea, Ez, but I think it’s mainly for horny young people looking for a shag,” Dylan said.
But Libby was sitting up in her seat. “No, Esme’s right. How many thousands of commuters must read these each day? Like she said earlier, we need to catch people’s attention.”
“Exactly,” Esme said, giving Dylan a satisfied smile.
For the rest of the bus journey home, Libby and Esme worked on the wording, and by the time they got back to Camden, Libby had e-mailed the newspaper their entry.
To the #girlonthe88bus. In April 1962 we met on the top deck of the 88 and talked from Clapham Common to Oxford Circus, and you changed my life. I have been looking for you ever since.
Young man readingOn the Road
CHAPTER
19
Peanut butter or Marmite?”
“Peanut butter, of course. Countryside or city?”
“City, every time.The SimpsonsorSouth Park?”
“Erm... neither.”
“What!” Dylan looked at Libby in mock horror. “How can you not likeThe Simpsons?”
“I don’t know. I’ve just never really watched it.”
“Seriously? Well, we have to remedy that. One day I’m gonna make you sit down and watch aSimpsonsmarathon with me.”
Libby looked out of the bus window to hide her delight. They were at the end of their third week of putting up posters, and she found herself looking forward to each outing with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. It felt wonderful to have a purpose, a project she cared about; Libby couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so motivated. Her job working for Simon had never made her feel like this, she realized. It had been Simon’s business, his dream, and whilst Libby had done everything she could to support him, it had never excited her in the way this project did.
