Thursday, September 08, 2005

Time Table Love - Part Two

I'm getting to know all the regular commuters on my train. Some of these people have been catching the same train for years and the carriage is a like an extension of their lounge-room. Yes my friends, there is Train Etiquette. Here a few observations so far.

1.
Seating:
Every morning people sit in the same seats and then on the way home, they sit in the same but different seats depending on how intense the setting sun is. Including me. It's like locomotive ballet.

2.
Sniffing:
I'm sure she's a delightful human being, but she's also a serial sniffer. No hanky, no tissue, just a sharp nasal sniff every 12 to 14 seconds (yes I counted). At first I thought, get a grip - she's sniffy, that's all, just read your book. (SNIFF). Just concentrate. It's not like you don't have any annoying habits (SNIFF). Screw it. If I don't move I'm going to have to take of my scarf and smother her. I moved.

3.
Teenage Dim Sim Eater.
I'm sorry, but since we still don't actually know what's in a commercially made Dim Sim, let's not be eating them on a packed train.

4.
The Bloke.
He's just left the office. Tucks his brief-case (lone orange, yesterday's paper) under his seat and s p l a y s his leg so wide, the women who want to sit past him have to virtually climb over the scaffolding of his body. His voice is loud enough to drown out the engine noise. He leers at the girl who walks past and nudges his mate.

5.
The Conductor.
Always different but always lovely. They snip your ticket using punches that leave a little love heart or teddy bear.

1 comment:

sarah said...

it is so long since i've been on a train, this takes me back...beautiful observations fran...

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