Station Madness

Over the years I have travelled on many buses, trains and other assorted public transports. I’ve had driving lessons. In fact, I had my first lesson at seventeen. It’s just something that fell down my list of priorities in my adulthood. I’ve always managed to find my way, even to the most obscure places anyway. Driving lessons were never something I felt was necessary. Using public transport so frequently does mean I’ve met some characters and had some adventures over the years.

I’d like to discuss one of those adventures that happened to me quite recently. Take your seats, store your bags and have your tickets ready for inspection. Every other week I visit family in my home city – two buses, a train and another bus to get there. This even occurred on my return journey.

The first bus of the day went by without much to report. That was until I realized I hadn’t booked the second bus. I had been so caught up in the weekend I decided I would book it on my way into town. As the first bus carries me into town I’m reminded my Apple Pay needs updated. I pull my purse from my bag and make the transaction. All good so far. The driver is a calm, considerate one too which makes a change.

A random mix of pop, grunge, rock, classical and musical theater is blaring through my headphones as I step off at the station. I drag my case off and all is going according to plan. Little did I know, fate’s plans were different from mine.

The bus I booked won’t be for some time yet. I take a seat at a local restaurant to have lunch, I reach into my bag. It’s then I realise I’ve left my purse on the bus, sat on the seat beside me as I wander off, in my head, giving a rendition of ‘memories’ worthy of Broadway.

Dragging my case back to the station I was inwardly praying to whatever deity would listen that I could get the purse back. It wasn’t far and I had only just left. If I ran fast, I could catch the bus before it left again. I’m no Usain Bolt. I’m no sprinter. Just a little over five foot tall and dragging a weekends worth of laundry with me I had all odds stacked against me.

I got back to the station just as the bus pulled away. I asked at the customer service desk. They tell me my purse would be handed in to their depo lost and found. Where’s the depo? Across the river, practically on the other side of the city. This is all kinds of no use to me because I’m leaving the city completely on the bus I had taken the damn purse out to book in the first place.

There was nothing I could do. I just had to deal with the matter the next time I was in town. I had to update my phone so I could use Apple Pay. No harm. No drama.

I click updates.

My phone so kindly informs me that because I had waited so long for these updates, they were going to take hours to complete. What can I do but settle down and wait it out? Maybe it will get faster as time goes on. Wishful thinking, I know, but I am an optimist.

The bus starts to queue. Like a good British person, I join the other passengers and wait to board. What’s the problem with that, you ask? My ticket is on my phone and it’s still updating. There I am at the bus terminus having to empty my laundry out to find my laptop – the only other access to email I would have at that point.

Finally I sit down.

YOUR UPDATES ARE COMPLETE.

Yes, thank you very much. Just get me home!