(very) small world

Last night I had a nightmare with trains. The problem is, this wasn’t the fault of the trains, their operators or even Network Rail. It all came about because I am impossibly tired and haven’t been thinking straight for a few days (years?). Anyway, I am not going into any detail, but at 6pm last night I was in a bit of a strop and marching from platform 6 to platform 1 at Cesspit’s bridge-built station. Hooked up to my trusty iPod, brandishing the bulky Labyrinth by Kate Mosse as a weapon, and carrying a bag full of interview transcripts and notes, I ploughed through the waiting masses to get to the ramps and make my way from one side of the station t’other.

Because I am a polite little commuter (apart from the scowl and tendency to shunt people out of the way with The Amazing Bag that I have spoken of in the past), my iPod is never on too loud (unlike the little fucker standing next to me on the train last night who was generously sharing his music with the entire carriage) so I heard a random voice calling my name. I was not surprised really, as I lived in Cesspit for the best (worst) part of 12 years so it’s not unlikely that someone from my school days may still be about. I looked around trying to place the voice and then I saw a man in front of me waving. It took a few seconds to register who it was (but my “oh, it’s you!” smile was already in place before the penny dropped).

And it was one of my lecturers from Little City - more specifically, the guy who took me on as my dissertation supervisor when mine rudely upped and left over the summer to head off to LSE or Imperial or somewhere. I can’t remember his surname though as he was one of these young, semi-cool doctors who insisted that we call him by his first name and would go to the pub with us on field trips. I couldn’t remember his first name either, actually, until I wracked my brain a bit later. He’s now based in Ireland and was on his way to catch a flight back there, and had changed trains at Cesspit. Our conversation had to be brief because I was running for a train so I whacked my card in his hand and told him to drop me a line and we could catch up over email. He laughed and read my job title aloud: “oooh, you’ve come a long way since all teh grief you caused me four years ago!” I shot back with a grin that I was no trouble at all, knowing full well that I was a pain in the rear and that he had done me some big favours and helped me get my 2:1. So, I kinda hope that he gets in touch so I can thank him again.

And just when I thought the world was small enough…

I hopped on the bus this morning to coast down to Little Place station rather than walk (I am wearing killer heels because of the awards do we are going to straight from the office later) and I turned around and there was F, a girl who I was very good friends with at secondary school. It’s been seven years since I last saw her, although in the move I had come across the match-box that she gave me on her last day of school (she was in the year above me) that had a pic of her and handwritten note in telling me not to let Me But Not get me down and that she would always be there for me if I needed her. Of course, time and distance after she went to uni and I flew away the year later, meant that we lost touch but I found out today that she lives just around the corner from me, so maybe we will see each other again and maybe pick up where we left off. Next time I see her I will get her number and suggest we go for a couple in our local.

So, anyway, tis a pretty small world eh. Sometimes uncomfortably so, but these two chance encounters made my day yesterday and today (so far, it is early you know).