| I found myself having to catch a bus last
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| | bus joined after we left the last stop,
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| week, the second week of the children's
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| | we had hit such a time. Off goes the
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| school summer holiday. I was instructed
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| | engine and silence falls on the
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| to take my son to his Grandma's house and
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| | neighbourhood - it's quite eerie really
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| with my wife having the car it left me
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| | and also bloody annoying.
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| with no choice but to do something that I
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| | Anyway, after around an hour (fifteen
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| hadn't done for over twenty years - take
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| | minutes actually but it felt longer) off
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| the bus.
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| | we went again, very, very slowly as the
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| The 188 from Weymouth to Poole. I was to
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| | bridge isn't very wide and certain
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| get on from the stop at the end of my
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| | vehicles can only go through single file,
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| road which wasn't too far away from the
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| | meaning one driver has to wait for the
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| town but a little too far to walk.
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| | other. If we are lucky it won't go up
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| My son and I reached the stop ten minutes
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| | again before we get our chance to cross
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| before aforementioned bus was due. Forty
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| | to the other side.
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| minutes later it still hadn't turned up
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| | It didn't and the bus station, our
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| so I got on the number 92 which stated,
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| | destination, was getting nearer. But
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| Poole. On we jumped - I asked if he went
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| | wait, the driver was turning off the main
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| all the way to Poole. No, he said, I
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| | road and going a different way than I
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| don't. Well it says "Poole" on the
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| | expected.
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| destination board, I stated. It says
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| | Oh yes, another 'bus thing', it may have
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| India on the tyres, he replied, but I'm
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| | to pick up passengers from that bus stop
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| buggered if I'm going there (Okay, the
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| | about two miles up that odd road that
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| old ones are the best) - yes, of course
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| | nobody ever goes along but 'just in
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| I'm going to Poole. £1.35 for you, half
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| | case', buses must go that way. Nobody
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| fare for the boy.
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| | was at the stop - the driver waited there
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| It was just 14 pence the last time I went
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| | anyway (just to annoy people like me, of
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| on a bus, shows how I'd lost touch.
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| | course) and then off we went again
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| I think I started to enjoy the ride more
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| | -."Look daddy, a train is at the
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| than my seven year old son, who always
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| | station", be quiet, I replied.
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| got excited during the odd bus trip,
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| | The queue into the bus station was long
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| especially if it was an open top bus and
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| | as cars were in the bus lane, cars who's
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| he would be 'allowed upstairs'.
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| | drivers didn't realise that the lane for
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| Then my enjoyment started to fade as we
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| | the multi-storey car park was the other
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| had to actually stop to let some people
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| | lane, not this one, this one was for
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| get on. After using my own transport for
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| | buses.
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| so many years this was a nuisance. They
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| | At last we were at the bus station and
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| fumbled with their change and took ages
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| | parked up. Now, had we have caught the
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| to sort out a ticket. The time, the
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| | 188, or rather had it turned up, we would
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| time, what are they doing?
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| | have been dropped outside of Grandma's
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| Off we went, when a kind driver
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| | but, as this was the 92, it took us to
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| eventually let us pull out. Ah yes the
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| | the station and we had to catch another
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| memories of busses was coming back to me.
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| | bus to go to a road near Grandma's.
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| I read the same few adverts over a few
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| | Stand by for Mr. Grumpy. Yes the 101 to
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| times and moved from a draughty vent. I
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| | Bournemouth was late. If a driver is
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| couldn't help but listen to a stupid
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| | late he is very grumpy and snaps at all
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| conversation that some teenage girls were
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| | passengers along the way - that's if he
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| having in front of my new seat.
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| | actually stops to pick them up. Many
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| Boyfriends, who'd have them, eh?
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| | 'would be' passengers are left stranded
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| My boy was grinning from ear to ear,
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| | with their hand sticking out to stop the
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| obviously enjoying seeing something from
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| | bus only to see it sail on by - in Poole
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| the bus window, everything seemed to
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| | that means you've got a late, grumpy
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| please him but here was I getting totally
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| | driver.
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| fed up with the slow, noisy and
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| | After queuing for a while I stated where
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| frustrating bus ride into, Poole. Going
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| | I'd like to go. Seventy two pence, the
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| to Grandma's in the car took seven
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| | driver snapped. Why the odd two?, I
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| minutes but here on the bus, only half
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| | thought. Anyway I thought it would be
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| way there, had taken an hour already.
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| | good to give him the correct change as
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| We stopped at a bus lay by but there
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| | they always seem to not be able to change
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| weren't any passengers to pick up, so why
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| | a fifty pence coin if my memory served me
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| stop? Ah, yes, I remember now - the
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| | correctly, so to cheer him up I placed
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| driver has to 'do his books'. He clicked
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| | some coins on his counter and looked in
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| a number of coins from his cash dispenser
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| | my pockets for the odd two pence coin.
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| and wrote a few notes in his book, messed
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| | He tutted and groaned and looked at his
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| about with some tickets and timetables
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| | watch in annoyance followed by a look
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| and put the engine in gear. Not wanting
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| | over my shoulder at the queue. He tore
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| to hurry, he wasn't fussed that nobody
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| | off my ticket and told me that I should
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| would let him pull out onto the highway
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| | tear my own ticket off. I said, "well,
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| again, choosing to wait instead until
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| | the other driver tore it off for me", but
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| there was a huge gap in the traffic
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| | he didn't seem to care. This was all new
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| before he even attempted to pull away.
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| | to me.
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| Sadly, in Poole, we have a thing called a
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| | My son was getting fed up by now - all
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| lifting bridge. It is for the boats in
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| | his playtime would be used up on the bus
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| the harbour. The main road in and out of
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| | trips. Past the first two stops without
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| Poole is built over, Poole harbour, and
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| | stopping (I told you, didn't I?) and
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| the road has to lift up in order for
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| | picking up a few other passengers then on
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| shipping to go through to the other side
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| | to our stop.
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| of the lifting bridge. Now the bridge
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| | Off we jumped and walked the rest of the
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| lifts up at certain times - called the
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| | way to Grandma's. Grandma was pleased to
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| 'rush hour' and 'when anyone's in a hurry
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| | see us. My boy played with some toys and
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| to get to Poole'. It is the biggest
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| | then we were invited to stay to tea.
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| black mark in the history of Poole. All
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| | Mummy came to Grandma's from work and we
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| traffic comes to a stand still once the
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| | all had a lovely time - apart from the
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| lifting bridge is up and allowing the
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| | bus trip. I am having the car next week,
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| boats to sail through.
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| | no, I said, I AM having the car next
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| Judging by the queue of traffic that the
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| | week!
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