Back in the seventies I used to work on the Mainland - I live on the Isle of Wight - and would travel back each day to Ryde. And these were the days before the catamarans when we had ferries on the route.
One evening about eight o'clock, I boarded the boat at Portsmouth and fancying a cup of tea I made my way down the steps to the buffet at the front of the ship. I went up to the counter only to be informed by a surly assistant that refreshments were only available once the ship had left the harbour.
I thought:Typical!
I then sat down in order to wait for them to open.
Whilst there I was looking round when I caught the eye of a middle aged woman who raised her eyebrows - I assumed she had been told the same and was raising her eyebrows in sympathy.
I didn't really want to get involved in conversation but I raised my eyebrows back at her out of acknowledgement. I then got out my paper and read for a bit.
Hearing the boat's engines fire up I looked up to see whether the counter was now open for business - it wasn't. And saw that the 'eyebrow lady' then raised her eyebrows again at me. I felt the point had already been made but lifted my eyebrows back out of politeness.
Finally I got my tea and took it and myself to the non-smoking saloon astern.
about twenty-five minutes later we docked at Ryde Pier and I made my way up to the disembarkation area on the ship.
Whilst waiting for the ramp to be lowered I noticed the lady I had exchanged raised eyebrows with earlier. I then saw that she suffered from a twitch in which she involuntarily raised her eyebrows every few seconds.
Fuck.
She must have thought I had been taking the piss, so I lowered my gaze and kept my distance.
Oh dear.