Anna of little.red.boat gets to know people on the bus from their reading material:

I know their ringtones, I know the voice they answer their mobile phone with in public, and the difference when it’s work or someone else. Some of them, I know their favourite deoderant, but that’s London for you.

Mostly, though, I know them by their books. See, I’m not too tall, and sometimes (only sometimes, mind) manage to fight my way to a seat, which either way, puts me about the same level as most people’s tightly-clutched chesticular reading matter. We bump along the London streets, and, listening to endless tunes on shuffle (it’s mainly classic Bollywood hits at the moment, I confess) I stare at the crumpled covers and pages, and get to know my bussie book club.