Signalling Difficulties
Thursday 17th November 2005 09:40:03 AMAlarm went off at 7 and it was promptly switched off by myself; at the time I was totally knocked out and couldn't think of a purpose for an alarm, only that the noise that had woken me had to be switched off. For this reason I woke up late and had to skip breakfast and hurry off to the train station on route to Uni.
On any other day if I was late it would mean that I'd reach my lecture 20 minutes late but today that was not meant to be.
I arrived to the train station on time for the next train but after setting off it stops. I'm thinking its not going to be for long and is probably waiting for an oncoming train to go past so the track is clear for us, but no. Ten minutes later the conductor is on the loud speaker telling us there will be a delay for 20 minutes because there are signaling difficulties ahead approaching Huddersfield.
Everyone starts moaning and groaning at the news, especially the older business suit folks. I'm slightly annoyed but realize this kinda shite happens. I start reading the Metro newspaper that is in the seat next to me.
Time passes and the conductor is on the loudspeaker again with some further bad news, apologizing that he has to delay us a further 20 minutes because of signaling problems. Also that he will be reversing the train back into Dewsbury. The suits and the old fogies are vexed saying they have flights etc to catch, so the conductor walks down the train with his memo pad talking names of those who are due at Manchester Airport with the hope of arranging some transport for them.
As he's walking down the train there's other passengers wanting a complaint form, so he does another round handing complaint forms out. Poor guy taking stick for something he has no control over, people can be so inconsiderate at times. The only reply these passengers are going to receive is a standard apology letter or a refund if they're lucky! No use complaining in my opinion.
While everything is going on around me (such as the three college girls behind singing cheesy pop songs) and I've read literally every page in the Metro newspaper I've slightly lost track of time. When we do set off and arrive at our destination I realize we'd all spent an hour in the train, an hour for a journey that usually lasts ten minutes!
By now there were only 45 minutes remaining of my lesson and it would have taken a further 10 minutes to get there. No way was I going to walk into lecture in the last half hour; it would have been embarrassing to say the least.
I was pissed off for not waking up on time, and when I'm pissed off what do I do? Smoke fags and eat. Subway to the motherfarkin rescue. Sat in there with my gorgeously overdone salad tuna sandwich and chomped away. My next lecture was in two hours time and what did I do during that period? Only God knows, but it went fast.
When its not meant to be, whatever you do its not meant to be
