The Lemon Life | online magazine offering a fresh perspective on post-grad life.

Words by: Candis Green

Image by: Pink Sherbet Photography

You’re being watched, you know.

And although there are shiny celebrities on the silver screen, and superheroes abound in comic books, the most interesting creatures of all to watch are all the strangers frequenting your favourite hangouts. They are interesting for the stories we create with the lines on their faces, and for the tangible connection we can feel only through another human placed directly before us. It is incredible to capture one of our own in mid-flight to glimpse a part of their story, even for just a little while.

Summertime is the best season for people watching, as we emerge from under heavy parkas with our heads pointed downwards, determined to just get from point A to point B. In the summertime, all the fascinating people surface like tulips trapped underground during the wintertime. They parade about the city with colourful feathers and become visible to people- watchers waiting anxiously to take them in.

There are many chances to catch a glimpse of all the people flying through the city, but a safe bet is camping out on a patio outside a coffeehouse or café where the people will saunter in and out to refuel and hide from the hazy sun. For those of you less inclined to be in direct contact with sunlight (such as my porcelain-skinned self),  a window in close proximity to the bustling street, or near someone you’ve been lucky enough to catch resting in one place are also good choices for people watching.

All good people watchers, of course, need the right tools. To remain inconspicuous, use a book as a decoy and wear oversized sunglasses – or “sunnies” as the experts call them – to disguise a watchful eye and throw off the subject being observed. Patio-goers employing a 30+ SPF will avoid a painful side effect of people-watching, the dreaded sunburn. Remember to cover all parts of the body often overlooked such as the neck, the ears, and if you’re making a serious commitment to people-watching, remember to apply sunscreen to the scalp.

In watching people, you may find yourself so engrossed and fascinated by your subject that you begin to wonder why others around you aren’t watching people too. For all the baristas blowing the bangs out of their faces in frustrating for the growing line in front of them, students clasping books and repeating exam notes back to themselves, and young couples subconsciously smiling together at toddlers in onesies… why would anybody be reading a book instead? Have they never participated in the consuming art of people-watching? For goodness sakes, there are real people bustling all about! If you blink, you might miss them!

If you’re a veteran like me and have been people-watching for years with an intrigue left unfulfilled by any other creature, fictitious or not, you may be able to take a step outside yourself and realize that you are not alone. For all you know, as you sit on the edge of your seat and watch them, someone may be watching you too.

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