“On the second floor lived Lorenheim, a dark meagre lizard-like creature of uncertain age and race who made about thirty-five shillings a week by touting vacuum cleaners. Gordon always went hurriedly past Lorenheim’s door. Lorenheim was one of those people who have not a single friend in the world and who are devoured by lust for company. His loneliness was so deadly that if you so much slowed you pace outside his door he was liable to pounce on you and half drag, half wheedle you in to listen to interminable paranoic tales of girls he had seduced and employers he had scored off. And his room was more cold and squalid than even a lodging house bedroom had any right to be. There were always half-eaten bits of bread and margarine everywhere.”
George Orwell, “Keep the Aspidistra Flying”, 1936.
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 