Word of the Day: quidam

quidam (n)

A someone; a person unknown.

"A quidam called me this afternoon and asked to speak with me by name. 'No one here by that name,' I informed the caller, who was very apologetic before hanging up. I'm always tempted to play along when this sort of thing happens...."
--Leahcim Setag, Strange Loops

New-age gymnastic troupe and spectacle purveyor Cirque du Soleil has mounted a show called Quidam. They define the word as "...a nameless passer-by, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past.... One who cries out, sings and dreams within us all."

The quidams I encounter every day are a lot less phantasmagoric. I see the same people daily during my work commute, but I have no idea who they are. There's the Hassid, the weirdo, the suburban soccer-mom in training, the librarian, etc. At least that's how I think of them, based on whatever stereotype they conform most closely to. I see these people more often than members of my extended family, but I don't know their names. I've never spoken to them. There's a recognition, though -- something fleeting in the eyes when we see each other. We'll never speak unless the train breaks down, I suppose. Sometimes I fantasize about inviting them all to a party, though: RSVP.