It can be a real thrill to have a brief encounter with someone and realise that they are a complete and utter git. Rather than toying with ambiguities, the positives and negatives about a first impression, it's wonderful to occasionally be able to loathe someone in an instant. Sound nasty? Maybe, but hear me out. So yesterday I was snowboarding at Mt Buller - great weather, forgiving, slushy snow (useful if you aren't that good) and good company and for a little while we've taken time out at the edge of a run staring out into the distance, mountains of eucalypts and there is peace and then I catch movement in the corner of my eye and a boarder is weaving towards us in little edgy spurts and a moment of shock - he can't be meaning to hit us, surely - and then he's over a little jump, right on the very edge of the run, and talking, commentating on himself - "He's over the jump and nearly runs over the guy with his fucking head in the way", all this in a blink, and he really does miss my head by a mere 5 cm or so and he's past and we're shocked but still able to muster the requisite two fingers at his receding form. What a cock. I particularly liked the way he spoke in third person - quite creative.