I sit in my car in the Northern Quarter
'Big Wave' is on endlessly and it's dark
Past midnight
I listen as she tells me I am weird
How I weird people out all the time
Without realising I am hunched over
Almost hugging the steering wheel
As if to brace
I continue to listen to her
Listing my faults like a shopping list
Further down the street a man shouts
'I love you, I love you, I love you'
As bottles are dropped and smashed into an industrial size bin
The windows are misted and it's October so it's cold
She says, 'I don't mind it, I like you for being weird'
But it's hard to listen
I don't want to go to these places
Where I sit on the edge of peoples conversations
Feeling awkward and not fitting in
Being told afterwards that people mention how weird I am
I realise now I am hugging the steering wheel
I adjust myself
I make a joke about it and wonder if this is weird
We talk about other things and laugh
But it's late
I want to go home
The door thuds as she leaves the car
