‘The Curious Object’

Now I had noticed this guy earlier on my travels through the city and had wondered then exactly what it was that he was carrying about on his shoulder?

He got my attention as he had with him an official looking clip board; and he even had a pencil in his mouth? I watched him as he stopped outside the various premises and stared upwards at their guttering or canopies; his hand shielding his eyes as he did so. He would then scribble down a few notes and then wander off again?

Curious I decided to take a walk in his general direction and see what I might learn or indeed capture.

Eventually he stopped outside of this particular premises and placed this mystery object which he had been carrying around onto the ground and he balanced it sat there up against the shop wall.

The shoppers who were passing by him were now beginning to eye him up with a noticeable degree of curiosity.

He then fumbled around in this carry bag for a while and eventually took out a screwdriver?

The shoppers standing nearby were still looking perplexed wondering exactly what it was about to do next? Some even slowed down and just stared as he then retrieved the mystery object from against the shops wall.

He then proceeded to insert the screwdriver into the object and presumably released the locking mechanism?

Then low and behold he began to erect his appliance much to the gathering interest of several lady shoppers who had gathered to watch this unusual spectacle.

Then very quickly it was up and fully erected… One ladder; for the use of?

Unfortunately for him though all of the previous interest and excitement expressed, had by now waned. So all looking rather disappointment his assembled audience then shuffled off leaving him standing there alone with his ladder in hand!

I think that there had been an expectation he was possibly a secret ‘street performer’ and that he would suddenly scale this ladder and maybe completely disappear? Or that he might perform a bit of juggling once at the top? Or even attempt a bit of fire eating?

But no…it was not to be; and unfortunately for this gentleman in today’s image; the realisation quickly hit home.

This was not to become his ladder to success after all!