During school holidays children get in to the Zoo for free so you can imagine how busy my station is. I\u2019ve been flat out helping people buy tickets, giving directions and reassuring people that yes they are on the right platform to return to the city. You\u2019d think I would get bored but I\u2019ve spent lots of time chatting – mostly to tourists about how happy\/unhappy they are to be here frying in our over 30 degree heat instead of freezing\/frying elsewhere. Until today this week\u2019s peak experience was having a selfie with Japanese honeymooners. (I warned them I was too ugly but their English wasn\u2019t that good and they persisted.)
\nNew Year\u2019s Eve was much quieter mostly because it was H.O.T. !!! Around 39 to be precise. But I met this week\u2019s favorite customer \u2013 a gentleman around 50\/60 in a sombrero and a pony tail, sporting a large wooden cross. Without any preamble, he showed me the wildlife calendar he had purchased for his local vicar and I remarked that looking at the furry coat of the grizzly bear on the cover make me feel very hot. (So glad he took that as an innocent remark. But then he did not strike me as a man for innuendo.) From that topic we proceeded abruptly to Thai Curry Balls.
\n\u201cI ate some once,\u201d he said, \u201cand I had the most terrible dream afterwards. I dreamt of a tethered goat being attacked by a wolf. I\u2019ve never eaten them since.\u201d (seems wise.)
\nI asked him if he was the goat but he changed the subject and began telling me about various cats he\u2019d had and their various passions for sausage rolls or tinned Spaghetti Bol. I love conversations like this and a railway station is the perfect place for them because you have the comfort of knowing that a train will come and take the talker away before it all gets too much.
\nWishing you all a Happy New year filled with as many Cat-loving eccentrics as you wish for. Thanks for supporting Station Stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
During school holidays children get in to the Zoo for free so you can imagine how busy my station is. I\u2019ve been flat out helping people buy tickets, giving directions and reassuring people that yes they are on the right platform to return to the city. You\u2019d think I would get bored but I\u2019ve spent …<\/p>\n