Hello splodgies!
Before I get properly started, take a look at this hideous apostrophe misuse that I came across on a photo album in Wilko's:
I had apostrophe rage. I mean, really- who said it was ok for this to go to production? Wilko, your photo album is bad and you should feel bad.
Anyway, back to the proper post.
When I got out of work a little earlier than I had expected, my friend/colleague Jenn said to me "what are you going to do with the rest of your weekend then?" and I replied something along the lines of "I don't really know... clean my room perhaps? I'm not back in [the office] until Tuesday" and she said "why don't you go home?" and I checked the time... And yes! I would be able to go all the way back to Lancaster in that time and arrive in time to have dinner with my family. Jolly good!
When I got on my connecting train at Barrow, it was empty because it had been a previous service terminating there. But it was cold and windy on the platform, so the staff said we could get on the train, so I sat at one of the tables near the door because there was a plug and I needed to charge my phone.
Much time passed...
...When the train pulled into Carnforth, the stop before Lancaster, I was the only person sitting in the carriage. But a few people got on and sat down. An old man (he looked to be in his late 60s/early 70s and dressed quite poshly, but not sombrely), pointed at a spot above my head, and crouched down to glare at me. I was just sitting there with my headphones on listening to music, playing mahjong and minding my own business, but he was clearly extremely pissed off about something. The conversation went something like this:
Me: ...can I help you?
Him: its the only bloody seat that's reserved in the carriage!
Me: What?
-pause- I turn around and see a reservation sticking out of the top of my seat for Carnforth to Lancaster.
Me: Oh, sorry- That reservation wasn't there when I got on the train.
Him: It's been there the whole time!
Me: I got on at Barrow
Him: It's the only seat reserved in the carriage! You had to sit in that one!
Me: The reservation WASN'T there when I was sat down!
-He splutters. There are literally about a hundred other seats in the carriage he could've chosen-
Me: Would you like me to move.
Him: No. It's fine. I don't care.
So I put my headphones back on. He sits opposite me on the table across the aisle, crosses his arms and pointedly looks away. When I go back to my game of mahjong, he continues glaring at me and quickly looks away whenever I happen to glance up.
For those who are familiar with the Barrow-In-Furness train service, you will know that there is approximately 12 minutes between Carnforth and Lancaster. And this sad old man had deemed it necessary to book a seat for that. And the thing is, I wouldn't have minded giving him my seat if there hadn't been THE REST OF THE CARRIAGE for him to choose from. Even if he didn't believe me about the reservation having been put on there after I sat down...! There were lots of table seats available, and multiple sockets for phones and laptops. I mean... He made such a fuss! I could understand if he had been left standing up with a whole lot of heavy stuff to carry. But he didn't even have anything to carry with him! I was most disgruntled by his antisocial attitude. When the train pulled into Lancaster, I was pleasantly surprised to see my father waiting for me on the platform. As soon as the grumpy man (who also got off the train) was out of earshot, I told him all about it "this is going on the blog, this is!"
...And it did.
What do you think? Was I being unreasonable? Or was I right to judge this man as petty and rude? Let me know in the comments!
Today this is me:
See you tomorrow!
-Rosa
x
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