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diary - entry

Half Term On The Train

18th February 2008 at 22:24

I'd forgotten it was half term this week. Needless to say, by the time my train had reached Kemble this morning, I had remembered.

I was surrounded by children, who were all shrieking or crying, while their parents stared on in admiration, oblivious to the fact that they're in a quiet carriage and that people around them were trying to work. Yes, I dare say that if it had been my child I would have also taken great pride in its ability to make enough noise to piss off the entire train, but as the lucky passenger who found himself sitting next to it, I did not share in her joy.

And of course, I was subjected to it again on the way home. Let me be clear: I don't mind the children themselves - they don't know better. It's the parents who are staring at them, full of pride that their children have developed a rudimentary grasp of speech, actively encouraging them to gurgle and scream while completely oblivious to everyone else on the train who really couldn't care less about the child's bloody toy horsey, and would prefer a bit of peace. If it had been the family carriage then fair enough, but the quiet carriage? For 2 hours?

Old and grumpy before my time? Perhaps. But I will remember to check for school holidays before using public transport again in the future.

Comments

  1. My way of surviving children and in fact all public transport in america is a pair of noise cancelling headphones, an ipod, a pair of knitting needles, and some cheap yarn... the cheap yarn being vital since children with greasy fingers are drawn to expensive yarn...
    Gemma K20th February 2008 at 05:46
  2. Mmm, that's an idea - maybe I should get some ear plugs :)
    radiac20th February 2008 at 09:22
  3. A gun is always a useful accessory at such times. That, or a very long pointy stick.
    Alf21st February 2008 at 14:37
  4. Definately a gun!! Now do you see why I loathe and detest all children and have absolutely no maternal instinct whatsoever?!!!
    The eye fiend21st February 2008 at 19:06
  5. You have made a grammtical error, young man: "and would rather prefer a bit of peace". It should read "and would rather have a bit of peace" or "would prefer a bit of peace" but not the catastrophic mixture of the two that you have shoved down our throats.
    William Black24th February 2008 at 10:30
  6. Yes I saw the typing error I made :p
    William Black24th February 2008 at 10:33
  7. I thank you sir! Fixed now. I really should read these things through before posting.
    radiac24th February 2008 at 12:11

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