Another bad journey this morning.
Someone was standing where I normally do. Horror! I bet she queue jumps as well.
08:09 was on time and actually had the full eight coaches today but I had to stand, as did nearly all the people at my station. This gives some indication of what happens when they only provide six or even four coaches.
I have been using trains from this station since 1992 and I always get in the train at the same door and yet I hardly ever recognise anyone. Today because I was standing I was able to look up and down the coach and I did not recognise a single person. I was actually worried for a moment that I had got the Victoria train by mistake. Maybe they are the same people everyday but their life force has been sucked out by the incessant monotony and harassment of such a dull part of their day. Who knows.
So I get to London Bridge at practically the same time as another train so that there are twice as many people on the platform as usual. So I queue up to go through the automated barriers and shuffle forward. I pass my Oyster card over the yellow spot and the gates don't open. I crash into them and the person behind crashes into me. Great. Then I notice a little hand written sticker on the yellow spot advising that this gate is not accepting Oyster cards today. So I have to go back to the end of a different queue. Bloody hell. Not happy.
I get into the ticket hall of the Underground and its is jam packed with people. there must be safety implications here. I spend the next five minutes of my life shuffling forward with feet at 10 and 2 o'clock (the optimum shuffle position) in a crowd of hot sweaty garlic ridden commuters.
Just don't f*%$£*# talk to me today.