Contact
Add ShazzerSpeak
"Tails" from the commute...
posted Tuesday, 9 November 2004
Often the first car on the train is Business Class, but sometimes it's regular seating that has
been designated as a "quiet". This means no talking and no cell use.
(I've seen people scolded for not respecting the silence.) These cars
are very popular with commuters (especially int he morning) and I
usually grab a seat in them if one is available. Today, an older man
with a cat (in a cat carrier) claimed the seat directly across the
aisle from mine and let's just say that this cat was NOT happy to be
riding on the train.
Now I don't know if this man just didn't know he was in the quiet car (the signs are rather small) or if he was just blantantly ignoring the rule...but I was just sure that *someone* would point it out to him and let him know that he should therefore take his unhappy cat elsewhere. But no-one did...which really amazed me since I've seen people scolded for much lesser offenses. Then, to make matters even worse, a young woman came into the car with a Scottish Terrier and sat right next to the man with the cat! Initially this shut the cat up...and for a few minutes the dog didn't even seem to realize there was a cat in the carrier. Chaos soon ensued, but to my continued amazement...none of the other people in the car said anything! Though many of them did roll their eyes and express incredulity at the situation.
So then I figured that the conductor would straighten the mess out...and the conductor never turned up! It was the most stressful 30 minute train ride I've been on in my life.
Now I don't know if this man just didn't know he was in the quiet car (the signs are rather small) or if he was just blantantly ignoring the rule...but I was just sure that *someone* would point it out to him and let him know that he should therefore take his unhappy cat elsewhere. But no-one did...which really amazed me since I've seen people scolded for much lesser offenses. Then, to make matters even worse, a young woman came into the car with a Scottish Terrier and sat right next to the man with the cat! Initially this shut the cat up...and for a few minutes the dog didn't even seem to realize there was a cat in the carrier. Chaos soon ensued, but to my continued amazement...none of the other people in the car said anything! Though many of them did roll their eyes and express incredulity at the situation.
So then I figured that the conductor would straighten the mess out...and the conductor never turned up! It was the most stressful 30 minute train ride I've been on in my life.
