I Feel Sorry for the Pedestrians (Jan 6th)

It's been an interesting evening. Having spent much of my spare brain capacity in the past 24 hours on worrying about whether I would have a train to take me up to Scotland at all, I ended up with oodles of time to spare at Euston courtesy of Snow Panic.

Snow Panic had caused my disturbed rest the evening before.

Snow Panic cancelled a meeting and gave me a day of listening to my own voice.

And Snow Panic emptied the offices I'm working in by 5.30pm at which point the offices were locked. Hence a lot of spare time at Euston.

I had also been concerned, having watched the snow fall all day, that perhaps my journey acrsoss London may be slower than usual. That was Snow Panic talking. Turns out the roads were pleasantly quiet, mainly free of slush let alone ice (after the London gritters had been out full throttle over the past few days) and it was actually a fairly pleasant ride. The one thing that did strike me was the plight of the pedestrians. Although the roads were clear, the pavements looked to be an icy skateland of compacted snow. I found myself reflecting on the different plights of differentr travellers and just had a sense that, in London at least, pedestrians seeme to come off worst. All hail the car lobby. Or something.

My time at Euston also proved mentally stimulating, A lovely woman held a door open for me and Billy (my Brompton - heavily laden with a full panier) - only to discoer we were going a different way. And then I settled myself in the "Food Court" to pass the time.

After reorganising my bags (the ongoing task of a multi-vehicle-type-traveller) and sending reminders of appointments to prospective tenants, I settled into some reading. People came and went around me, moving tabls, catching trains, drinking beverages (mainly hot ones). The most surprising was recognising a face among many - a man I'd met while doing massage for homeless people during Crisis at Christmas. He didn't approach me - I don't know if he saw me & recognised me and decided not to approach, or if he simply didn't see or recognise me. But I did spend a good chunk of time wondering whether to approach him myself. My indecision cost me the option and he walked off. I feel at peace with that outcome - and a good job too given that's what happened.

And so, here I am, awaiting the train's departure on it's merry journey to Scotland. Feeling quite zen, if truth be told (and mildly amused that a friend called while I was sitting in the food court for my train expertise! Hee hee!)