On Saturday I lost the will to live....almost!
***
We were returning from Exmouth and had a 30 minute wait at Exeter St Davids station.
As we sat, we watched a member of staff picking glass bottles off the track, with a long, metal, grabbing contraption.
Then, he placed the bottles so carefully on the platform and I realised that they were still full... and the tops were securely on them .
Being quite naive at times,I thought what a waste of beer, fancy not drinking it...uh oh...
Then he put on his rubber gloves ...made a remark and I saw the light!
And you don't need me to spell out what was in the bottles,do you ?
***
How can people be so disgusting?
***
Eventually, we got on the train..a very slow train with just two carriages...the worst train in the world..well it's not the train's fault...should I say the worst people in the world were on it.
Let's just say that had inoculations ... 'Jabs R Us'... been available at the door, I would have been first in that queue!! I am not kidding. Honest!
The train was jam packed but we got seats.... separately. The carriage floor was strewn with rubbish as was the train we'd caught earlier.
***
What is it with people and litter?
***
Do you know, I was exceedingly lucky to be surrounded with such uplifting (!) people, as not only did I get a 'half wit' sitting behind me, who objected to me saying 'excuse me please' as I tried to pass him as he wanted to use the aisle for his legs and didn't give a damn about who might trip over him, I got the 'classiest ever' character sitting next to me...
***
I had drawn 'Chief Chav' ....
a grubby ,filthy speciman of the female (I think!) human race who spouted the most grubby, filthy language for the whole of the journey.That's in between her texting and relating to the whole train just exactly what she was going to do to her friend's legs when she next saw her!
(i.e. ..break them...but she didn't use the word 'break'...you need to study a chav thesaurus for that !)
Not only that, she coughed and spluttered constantly (in my direction!) and so the best I could do was to keep my back turned , all the way.
She was foul.
Her friends weren't much better and hung on every word she spouted.
I was glad to get off the train with my legs intact! I wasn't frightened, just disgusted.
I thought to myself...
'Tomorrow's parents'
I had to hold my tongue all the way,during that journey...and for me, that takes immense effort!
***
I am a great people watcher.
Indeed, I often teach lessons about characterisation.You simply can't beat 'people watching' if you are going to invent characters for a book.
But this sort of people watching ....I don't honestly advise it... on my train were prime examples of what makes our country great..NOT!!
I came home... and had a good wash!
Finally...I apologise that no photos are available for this blog post... for obvious reasons!
Just use your imagination!
Hope your weekend is a good one...I'll be back soon with plenty of pics!
;-)
Sal,
ReplyDeleteOh sounds awful, I totally know where you are coming from though, I know public transport is more sustainable than one person driving around in their car, but I truly hate using public transport, it is generally filthy and some people are so rude towards others even the bus drivers can be rude at times. I used the train to get to university every week and I remember one time the toilet had overflowed and was running down the aisle of the carriage and then all the smokers would be crammed between the carriage smoking at the open windows- disgusting! And another thing about smokers is how many of them throw the butts of their cigs all over the place, rarely in a bin!! That's my rant for today! I'm totally with you on this one. I live in a very rural area with no public transport so I either drive or walk.
All things nice...
I have a friend who regularly goes from Paignton to Exmouth by train and I thought, "Hey, what a good idea! We could have a lovely non-driving ride along that spectacular strech of coast from Dalish, and up by the River Exe to Exeter!" And yesterday we almost did this! But then, as it was a bit chilly, we changed our minds and had a ride to Dawlish (in the car) and that was a disappointment in another way (Dawlish Not What It Was) but I won't hog Sal's blog on that, but just to say my friend who travels from Paignton to Exmouth hasn't mentioned the undesirables travelling on the trains; perhaps she doesn't go on a Saturday when perhaps there is a greater proportion of them to 'normal' people (by which I mean polite, law-observing, clean and not foul-mouthed.) After what you have said we will certainly not be travelling on that stretch of line on a Saturday. As for the 'pop' bottles filled with the product of micturation, words fail me.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
Lots of my sentiments echoed in your post, I continue, daily, to become a grumpy old woman. I despair of these type of people, I really do xx
ReplyDeleteUgh! Poor Sal!I only ever use the train to travel to London & haven't come across these dodgy types.
ReplyDeleteLuckily there are lots of nice, polite people out there too .... just like us! ;-)
Jayne
And they wonder why people a) don't feel inclined to use public transport and b) just hold their breath and don't intervene/comment when something is blatantly wrong/unjust/unlawful for fear of their welfare or life. The most worrying thing about your post is - indeed they are the parents of tomorrow - heaven help us!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say 'I blame the parents' .... but I guess these days it's just one parent! I remember talking to someone who said that her son's justification for dropping litter was that it kept someone in a job ..... I suggested that she tell him that person might have a better job if there wasn't litter to be picked up! We used to live near a High School - at lunchtime there would be a cloud of seagulls over the shopping precinct, ready to dine on the food the kids dropped - they often threw it at each other, and threw the wrappings in the nearest garden. When I phoned the school to complain, I was told that the school wasn't responsible for the children when they were off the premises. Changed days from when we had it drummed into us that we would bring shame on the school if we misbehaved in the street!!
ReplyDeleteHi Sal, I know exactly what you mean! I think tnat it is our duty to be 'grumpy women' from time to time and to air our soapboxes! Goodness knows that we're being subjected to lots of politicians doing so at the moment. Anyone who could sort out litter, cleanliness of public places and antisocial behaviour will get my vote!!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing you at V&H.
Lesley X
what a terrible journey, I can totally sympathise,have you been following the problems we have been having with our neighbour, well we have that kind of person living next door to us!
ReplyDeleteJosie x
Glad there is no photos :)
ReplyDeleteI had a simmilar experience last friday on the good old central line! Some drunk kretins (brave because there were 3 of them!) decided to abuse everyone on the cariage individually! I couldn't believe that people would let them speak to them like it!
Needless to say when they got to me they came a cropper!!! I'm sorry Sal but I may have used a few choice words to urge them to kindly shhh and go away!
Got a round of applause though :)
Its nice to hear that there are young people, I mean younger than my generation who have some standards and appreciate manners. I'm sorry your journey was so unpleasant, and of course complaining to the rail network will do you no good at all!
ReplyDeleteI too despair and have become one of the "what is the town/country/world coming to" grumpy old women. I really dislike using public transport for just those reasons.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for families trying to bring up children with standards and manners in today's uncouth society.
Just popped back to add - what a difference to compare the yobs you encountered Sal with the Scouts over on Tilly's blog www.tillyroseblog.blogspot.com/.
ReplyDeleteHi Sal....I would feel exactly like you. i hate to see what is happening to some of our youth of today.....no respect for anything. I'm a firm beleiver that it starts with the adult in charge of looking after the child....if they have no ground rules and guidnace then of course they will act like a wild cat....something a government (whoever they are) will need to tackle if Britain is to change? I work with many primary aged children and some of the parents who turn up at school to collect them....OMG...drunk, on drugs, dossers...you get the picture.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Carol for your comment above...that's lovely!
Hugs to you both
Karen x x x
It sounds like it was pretty dire. Behaviour like that rather puts a "damper" on an outing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nightmare- they wonder why people dont use public transport !
ReplyDeleteWe were in a playpark at lovely Cockington last weekend and two kids were trying to snap off a baby tree, I told them not too and tried to push it back in to the ground, they thought I was mad !
Have a good week
Sue x
Yuck! - I couldn't help but chuckle a little, as I thought it was only me who had encounters like yours! I always used to laugh when my mum said 'what's this country coming to' only to find I also say the same thing now!
ReplyDeleteHello Sal,
ReplyDeleteI understand and sympathise whith the "horrible" journey you had ... We have the same sort of dirty people in France too. "Young" and ... "old" too, unfortunatly.
I think it's a lack of education.
Have a nice week !
I hate that, it makes me feel so uncomfortable when I am around those kind of people, they are totally disgusting!
ReplyDeleteHow depressing Sal.. but it really doesn't surprise me that you had to share your unfortunate journey with these folk. I used to love train travel and spent most of my youth on one station platform or another...'people watching' and met some fascinating, intelligent and polite people. The last time I took a train to Bristol and beyond I had a terrifying experience with some real low life .. and it has really put me off travelling alone.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I walk in to town.. I despair about the lack of grace and manners amongst our society.. both young and old and the filthy streets that are the shame of Bath.. a world heritage city!!!!
How nice to come home to a civilised home eh!
Michele xx
... all on benefits! x
ReplyDelete