This week saw me return to work after a few days milling around Amsterdam and staying in a swanky 4* hotel. It was nice, I didn’t drink anywhere near as much as I had wanted to and feel I’m still due a complete alcoholic blow out (hurrah for my geek weekend next week), but I did get the pleasure of wacky floor movements and freaky hand gestures. It must have been something I ate. *cough* I admit nothing. After 3 long days back at work, I found myself sat on a bus on my way home with a rotten work induced headache. It’s okay, I tell myself, 20 minutes and I’ll be home. Tea, biscuits and miracle painkillers at the ready. It’s all okay.
Except it wasn’t. Two minutes into the journey a child starts screeching. Not sobbing because they are a bit tired, but actually screeching. I was pretty certain you wouldn’t normally get sounds like that anywhere out of the rainforest, but there I was on the 46 just off Hampstead High Street with a runt of a child screeching like the boogeyman was scratching its eyes out.
I can never have kids. Do you know why? Because if my child made that noise I’d make sure I gave it something to screech about. I may write my own versions of bedtime stories just so I’m prepared if my clock eventually does start to tick.
Anyway, it occurred to me while this noise was carrying on, that I could hear it waaaaaaaaaaaay above the music I had playing through my headphones. My headphones that I keep at a reasonable volume so as not to disrupt any of my fellow passengers. That annoyed me. There has been a new poster campaign on London transport “A little thought from each of us, a big difference for everyone”… with a few quirky characters to make it visually pleasing (hah).
I have a new one they can add on.
“Keep your little bastard quiet”
Mmmhmmmm.
Of course instead of glaring at the mother as I exited the bus, I smiled sweetly. I’m such a fucking coward.
should you wish to view a reasonably patronising video on travel etiquette, you can do so here. Enjoy, and make sure you talk loud on your phones and blast your music out on full volume!
