I need to learn to drive.
Last night I had the misfortune of just missing my bus, leaving me with an hour to kill before the next. Maddening at any time, but after a crazy 12 hour shift I wasn't happy. Seems it is the season for RTAs as we admitted one accident victim after another - burst vertebrae and fractured ribs, fractured pelvis, 2 men with fractured wrists that went into ARDS following surgery - four patients, four separate accidents.
Hmm, perhaps I shouldn't learn to drive
Then 15 minutes before my shift ended we had an alcoholic admitted that wouldnt stay in bed and wanted to leave. Sedation took care of him but it meant I got behind with my paperwork and left work late
Anyway, back to the City bus station. In order to deter gangs of unruly youths gathering at the bus station, they now pipe classical music throughout. But its bad, dreary classical music played through a bad tinny sound system. Its also played on a continual loop meaning I listened to the same arrangements about three times. Now and then I walked 5 yards to the edge of the station to smoke a cigarette. This small cigarette was obviously a flaming beacon because it attracted all the drunks and homeless to invade my personal space and ask for one as well as some money. I needed a badge - Fuck off and buy your own..
As I sat there, it got darker and colder. I began to people watch, one of my favourite pastimes. The drudge of music wasn't working for gangs of teens with the telltale sign of ipod leads sat at various points around the station. The boys were like peacocks, showing off and parading in front of giggly, heavily made up girls in not enough clothing.
Alcoholic middle aged men and women ignored the No Alcohol signs and sat, or rather led, on the benches, pausing between their rants to slug White Lightening out of an Iceland carrier bag.
I became fascinated by one young couple stood waiting on the stop next to mine. Teenage, probably about 16, obviously young and in love. He was tall and gangly and had the whitest goth face I've ever seen. I pondered on the natural colour versus make-up and decided definitely make up. He was all dressed in black with some band unknown to me on his T Shirt. He was hot in a teenage goth kinda way. She had a denim flared mini skirt on and a short red shirt that didn't reach her waist although I think it was supposed to as she attempted several times to pull the shirt down. She was a big girl. Rolls of flabby tummy burst over the waistband of the skirt, white flabby thighs protruded from the hem. But she didn't seem to care. Nor it seems did he. As the skinny made up glamour puss teens passed eying him up, he only had eyes for the chubby girlfriend. It was quite sweet.
The bus station is due to be demolished and moved in the grand regeneration scheme Newport has planned for the Ryder Cup in 2010. We are to be overrun by American golf fans. Its all going to be very posh and modern and clean and nice. I wonder where they are going to hide the drunks and homeless people....
My bus eventually arrived. I sat and tried to avoid eye contact with the guy on the bus that looked like he wanted to chat. I was tired, I was cold and my feet hurt. As I neared my home I texted Jess to put the kettle on
I need to learn to drive
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7 comments:
I will never forget the nightmarish roundabout down the road from your house. Even I, with my LA-honed, battle-weary driving instincts, would have to grit my teeth to face that!
The Coldra.
I used to do that roundabout twice on each driving lesson...
I stalled once at the stupid lights on the actual roundabout. I looked in my mirror to see two young guys pissing themselves laughing in the van behind me
It even has a name. Lovely!
Get a car with automatic transmission, that will at least be one less thing to worry about, and more concentration on the road :-)
I did think about just doing my automatic test, to do it more quickly. My sister only has automatic as she could nevr get on with gears. Unfortunately its hard to find that many automatic cars here as manual is the norm
And of course as you keep telling me Im moving to the US, automatic is all Id need :P
I loved your people watching adventures. Although how are you going to get any action if you put off dudes that want to chat with you on the bus. They might be worth a quickie. And maybe they would rub your tired feet afterwards.
Yeah, I hear ya-- when I was in Germany I was hard-pressed to find one at car rental agencies. I finally ended up getting a Mercedes station wagon my last week there, hehe.
you do need to learn to drive
it's easy to do...
i would offer to teach you, but it's a bit far to go
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