Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Only slightly mental, only temperamental

Lying in bed last night after a weekend of fantastic pop, extreme drunkeness and constant train drama, I didn't expect to think of it all as an exercise in serenity. And yet it was. The train dramas especially.

One thing I am constantly asked by people who don't know me is why I like Britain so much. I used to get very defensive when answering the question but as the years go by I get more and more vague; not for lack of a response but because there are too many reasons - some good, some silly, some secret. I'd have loved for everyone who has asked me that question though to have been at St Pancras station on Saturday afternoon though. Train delays on a Saturday are the reason why I love living here.

Bright light coming in

People's eyes wide open, they are sitting there, patiently

Staff being sweet and funny

Someone complaining in a low voice; an 80-year-old man telling them that everything will be OK and it's no-one's fault really, these things happen.

More serenity. No panic. No shouting. No anger. No insults. Just time being thought of not as precious but as inevitable, just as it should be.

I love this country.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aup there

I got a letter from Midland mainline this morning saying they are going to send me a cheque after getting held up a couple of weeks ago, complain to them and get some money back you will need your ticket though. It was horrible when I got held up in Sheffield loads of people moaning about it I had to put my headphones on I could not stand it, Not quite rocket Science saved the day.

Lots of Love
Dobbie
xxx

Marianthi said...

Hey you!

You know, it sounds crazy but I really didn't mind that much. I am so grateful that I could travel up to Nottingham and back from Sheffield with only 15 quid that I wouldn't try and get any money back from them. Especially because they're losing the franchise soon and I feel sorry for them (and for me!). Heh, that sounds all wrong, doesn't it?

x

Dimitra Daisy said...

It does sound wrong, yes. Plus to be honest my encounters with First Great Western have more than once left me longing for Greece, where people, rude as they are, are used to dealing with things going wrong. Dealing, people. Not "standing around saying we are sorry".

But I do love this country. It just doesn't have much to do with train companies.

Marianthi said...

The Greek way of 'dealing' with things stresses me out. Every time my bus was late there would be a fight with the driver. That's no way to live your life! I *am* a massive wuss though, I hate confrontation.

x said...

i know exactly what you mean (i'm greek).

Dimitra Daisy said...

But that's not what I meant! Shouting at the bus driver is pretty much pointless and it gets on my nerves badly. As does any sort of stupidity in general.

What I meant is rather hard to explain or rather, rather long because it involves the story of the Day Of Much Rain when Martijn took 11 hours for a 3-and-a-half hour journey and the Reading station staff had him believe the West Country was completely and totally unreachable by any means. And everyone just panicked and kept repeating "I can't do anything for you" and shrugging and not caring. And I thought that things go wrong so much in Greece people are more used to dealing with things that go wrong and finding solutions. (Martijn was only saved by his Greek wife! And the internet!)

But never mind that. As I said. I do love this country.

him said...

Hey Marianthi!

I'm glad you like England. I like England too.
I have decided never to live anywhere else. But that is only because I am scared of just about everything. Besides, Britian has the best bands...

Huw x

Marianthi said...

Huw! Hello!

Aw, you guys, it's Huw!

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