Snow joke
Paddington BearNot Paddington Bear, Manuel Waiter actually….
SNOW.
SUCKS.
BALLS.
I was up with the sort of gusto I only reserve for pay day. Up n at it nice and early, 9.15am. That’s fifteen minutes earlier than normal. I knew getting to work was going to be a challenge/chore. I also knew I still had to get breakfast. Breakfast was a must on a day like today. One needs to be prepared for all eventualities, and a hearty breakfast would see me through to at least 3pm.
Apres breakfast I began the putting on of layers, jumper over work shirt, light jacket over jumper, duffle coat over light jacket, wooly hat over head, finished off with wooly scarf round neck. Paddington Bear in all but name. No marmalade sandwich though, but I did have an extra packet of mints in bag.
I didn’t even waste time trying to phone for a taxi. That was a non-starter. With people in Belfast likely to sue at the drop of a hat (you can get £5000 for someone dropping a hat on you) and the weather making the chances of a car accident more likely taxi drivers tend not to bother in such conditions. My choices were now down to two, walk or bus. Neither were particularly attractive. Walking would take hours, and the bus would be full of sweaty people with norovirus. But walking could also end in a busted ankle or at the very least embarrassment. I could live without either.
The bus stop is a 5 minute walk from my house, it took me 15 minutes. Slip sliding like a new born lamb, and with all the grace. Swearing, oh the loud uncensored swearing in public. I was not a happy chappie. Stage one complete and I arrived at the bus stop. Of course there was a bus there as I approached it. A bus I was doomed never to get. I tried to move quicker which ironically made me move slower. And off the 9b went, leaving me sucking on it’s exhaust fumes. So I rolled a smoke and waited for the next bus. There would be another along soon.
After a few tut tut tut’s and dirty looks from a nasty, pedantic looking man I moved from the bus shelter with my cigarette. Cock. You just bloody know he had the exact change in his mittened paw.
The bus shelter filled over the next half hour. All of us sure the bus would be along soon. I was getting very twitchy. I have never been late to work. Sad eh. I wasn’t going to have my record sullied by unfavourable weather conditions. From the distance I could see the outline of a pink double decker Metro bus. My chariot had arrived! Except it hadn’t. There, for all to see, read the depressing words, OUT OF SERVICE.
Why do they mock us so?
Why?
Why?
There was more than an audible sigh from the huddled and cold masses at the bus shelter. Fuck this, fuck this, fuck this I chanted in the style of an Indian Guru with tourettes. Even if the bus arrived now I was still going to be late.
And there it was, my chariot, my saviour. From the gloom appeared a black taxi, the sort that you can hail from the side of the road. Nothing stops these boys from driving, not the weather or the law. Without thinking, there I was half out on the road waving like I had a pregnant woman with me who needed to get to hospital. He stopped. Sweet Jesus was I happy?! I bounced in and never looked back. Well actually I did look back. And I could see the rest of them mouthing, “BASTARD” and shaking their cold, wet heads. Ha! Bastard indeed, but a bastard in a taxi.
I made it to work on time. On time to discover the manager and bar staff outside making a snowman. There he was resplended with limes for eyes and a chilli for a willy. I rushed to work for this?
And then nothing happened for the rest of the day……..nothing at all. Which gave me time to think…….
12 Comments → “Snow joke”
i am so NOT going to complain about the cold weather here, sugar…ever
And I’m so NOT going to complain about the sky blue with white text. Pfft. Anyways, why don’t you people over there have jet packs yet? You can fly, and if you’re really nice, you can fly low to the ground and melt the snow for the people you like.
Our buses don’t arrive on time cuz their tyres are melting round their hub caps in this goddamn heat. I have been cussing for over a week now in 105+ temps and would give anything, ANYTHING I tell ya, to roll around naked in that white stuff.
oh how i remember the 9b manuel, the jewel in translinks fleet. entire blogs could be written on peoples daily battles with our ‘public transport system’.
My day started in a very similar fashion to yours, the slipping, sliding and cursing but my bus was within view of when I arrived puffing and panting at the bus stop and stayed within view for the next 15 minutes, broken down at the top of the road. A taxi was going to be at least 40 minutes. I was rescued by a neighbour who gave me a lift. Last night she was repaid for her kindness with a measley bottle of wine she deserved at least champagne. That lift meant more to me than she can ever know.
Savannah: it was horrible…..you wanna swap?
upset: crack or booze?
gypsy: I know some people who like to do that to…..
sweetchuck: cunts the lot of them…..
ellie: how sweet is that……really, how sweet….
Boots.
You need proper boots for walking in the snow.
I laughed at the chili peen for the snowman.
medbh: you mean black dress shoes aren’t appropriate…..damn it…..
you need some get-a-grip ice cleats, man.
slap those puppies on over your dress shoes, and..sheeeit. you could walk on an iceberg and not fall.
I felt vastly superior on Friday morning as I walked down the little lane to my workplace and saw all the vehicles getting stuck in the snow or already abandoned on the verge. I love snow for the first few hours until it turns into that disgusting filthy slush that gets all over your clothes. And it’s already too late to make a row of snowgirls. Drat.
haha you know it was the juice
But typing that yesterday I think I was trying to be serious 
But I can’t remember.
Angela: it’s gone now……yippee!
nick: You are a very jammy man….I dislike snow it whatever form it comes….
Upset: really? holy fuck…..hehehe