Sunday 19 June 2011

my white whale

About three years ago, in the lavatory of the British Library, I saw a sign. It was one of those yellow erectable chaps warning you that the ground is slippery. I wanted to take a picture of it. I could not because my phone was recalcitrant and I didn't want to spend ages in the loo fiddling with my camera because people were already looking at me funny, though this being the BL some of them looked pretty funny to begin with. I assumed I would get another chance.

For three years, every time I have seen a yellow erectable warning sign in the British Library, or anywhere else, I have gone over to it, increasingly in hope rather than expectation. Nothing.

But last week, mirabile relictu, the guy installing our new boiler had such a sign. And it was the sign. This is the sign.



Isn't it great? Danger of falling over fish is what it is saying, loud and clear. Fair enough, fish are slippery. I love this sign, and I have found it, and that is all I have to say about that, except that slightly disappointingly the fish is the logo of Salmon Products and romance, basically, is dead.

1 comment:

Miss Pear said...

He actually looks like he's tripping over a triangle. Do fish have triangles? And do they like to trip up unsuspecting humans with them? These questions and less will be answered... eventually, by someone who isn't me.