The Waiting Game

Robbie went to a gig in Birmingham on Monday evening, apparently it was one of his favourite groups called The Wedding Present. Robbie was incredulous that I have managed to get through life this far without ever hearing anything about them, and he decided to put that right by providing a potted history of the group and then making a strange noise which was allegedly singing. My eyes glazed over and I decided that in this case ignorance was bliss. My ears were still recovering from the tuneless roar that Robbie calls singing when he asked me to pick him up from the station at midnight. I agreed on the strict understanding that he would not sing to me again. I duly arrived at the station at 11.55pm just one minute before the train was due in. Within seconds a text arrived to say that they were delayed at Rugby! A succession of gloomy texts followed and I sat there feeling cold and tired until the intrepid traveller finally arrived at 1.00am, I was not impressed. The journey home consisted of a long rant from Robbie on the subject of Network Rail!

Robbie is going on a charter trip on Saturday and apparently his life will not be fulfilled unless I let him go to an open day at a cement works on Sunday. Well, how can I compete with the attractions of a cement works? One thing is absolutely certain, it will be a very long time before I agree to pick him up from the station at midnight!!

Three to a seat

Saturday morning dawned a little too early for my liking, Robbie was far too cheerful and noisy, but at least he had made me a cup of tea and brought it back to bed. He was making train noises again, according to him it was the sound of a DRS Chopper starting up. It is just as well that he told me because it sounded more like Woody Woodpecker to me!

I tried to cling to sleep, but my efforts were futile because Robbie was chattering away happily about a rail tour that he is going on later in the year. When Robbie is excited he speaks even faster than usual and his accent is stronger. He assured me that this particular charter was going to be brilliant "because it is three to a seat". At least that is what I thought I said. I was horrified, thanks to Robbie I have come across more than my fair share of train enthusiasts and I wouldn't want to share a carriage with some of them, so the prospect of sharing a seat was truly appalling! I had a flash of sympathy for FGW passengers because that degree of overcrowding is a daily reality to some of them. Anyway it seems that my ears let me down - it's not surprising as they are severely over worked when Robbie is around! He had not said "to a seat" he had said "to the sea". It is a rail tour to the seaside.
www.spitfirerailtours.co.uk

Playing Trains 16.07.07

Robbie always has a lot to talk about after a day out playing trains, yesterday was no exception. I am afraid I couldn't summon up too much enthusiasm about the charter trip to a cement works, but he described the trip in minute detail anyway, he even explained exactly where he sat - and where everyone else sat. He had to wake me up after all that excitement! He then went on to tell me about all the people he met, it wasn't particularly interesting as I didn't know any of these people. My ears pricked up when he claimed to have met Shrek, but maybe I misheard. I was listening again when he mentioned the young blond woman that he met on the train. Apparently he just got talking to her, but he must have got her full life history because she has popped up in conversation 5 or 6 times today! I think he was quite flattered when she told him he didn't look 35. I don't know, wherever he goes he always ends up with women making a fuss of him.