4 August (Part 1) - Abbey Wood. Up and coming or down and out?
Council meeting reports can take a very long time to prepare and
yesterday’s
was perhaps an extreme example. I made a start at one o’clock yesterday
afternoon and carried on until four when I had to get ready to go out.
Work on it restarted at 5 a.m. this morning and it was nine before I had
finished fiddling with what was supposed to be yesterday’s blog. That’s seven hours and a couple more to be at the
meeting. I’m not sure it is worth it.
Yesterday evening’s outing was to the Oval to see Middlesex make a pretty high
score in 20 overs and then watch Surrey slaughter them in only 16.
On the train up a beggar handed notes to every passenger without saying a word
but I don’t carry money unless I know it will be needed. A short game of cricket
needs no more than a few soft drinks and a sandwich prepared at home.
On the 22:06 from London Bridge to Slade Green (and round the loop) I sat opposite a young woman who was totally
absorbed in her mobile phone. Every female under 50 looks young to me but this
specimen could have been no more than half of that.
I might have passed the time the same way myself but I was on yet another Southeastern train with no wi-fi.
There must be something like 30% of carriages in that state. Sometimes one can get a brief
connection when stopped alongside another stationary train.
Another beggar stood by the door and very politely and apologetically explained
his predicament. He needed £11 to get himself a shower and presumably shelter for the night.
I couldn’t help and the young woman didn’t even notice as he walked down the aisle facing away from her.
Five minutes later he retraced his steps with the same pleading message, this
time facing the woman so she could not really avoid seeing him. Without a moment’s
hesitation she slipped her hand into an expensive looking bag and and gave the
man a £20 note. I couldn’t see his face clearly but I think he began to cry,
certainly the young lady asked him not to.
At Abbey Wood the lady alighted and headed down an almost deserted Wilton Road.
Is this the new Abbey Wood that Crossrail is supposed to be bringing? If so, bring it on.
Fortunately the Good Samaritan will have got home just before the flower shop lost its window again.
The third time in
fewer than 15 months, the fourth if you count
the owner’s car windscreen. This time it was a break in. Some things in
Abbey Wood may take a long time to change.
Photo 1. A quick bet on 1st August.
Photo 2. Smashed window at Occasions, Wilton Road. Another £300 bill and that’s not counting the lost stock.