No regrets?

I haven’t used trains as transport from one state to another since this happened to me, it would have been at least 6 years ago before I had my daughter...

This wasn’t my first train ride, I had been taking trains from where I live to visit family in another state for ten years and had never had any major hassles, always making sure to buy a ticket in advance, always making sure to be there early just incase anything should happen. On this one day out of so many before, it wasn’t going to be as easy as the rest, little did I know it would be my last. I mean what would it take for you to stop taking public transport from one destination to the next, maybe this isn’t as bad as other things that could happen but for me it was horrible, embarrassing and a combination of emotional stress, that I decided to never let happen to me ever again, which meant no more inter state train journeys.

Waking up from my alarm I Beloit was early, like 6am or maybe even earlier as it was dark when I got up out of my nice warm bed. I got ready, making sure I had everything in my suitcase, my phone was charged and I had my wallet. Everyone in its place and I was set to go see my family like every other time. I walked out my front door, across the road and onto the train stations platform. Standing there waiting for my train, looking at my phone to see the time, I was ten minutes early before the trains set time for departure, so I sat down. My luggage between my legs as I listened to my music via my phone, scrolling the usual social media to pass the time.

Seeing the time I looked up and right on schedule the train was slowing down for passengers to get on or off. I stood up and walked towards the door, letting out the people that wanted to get off first then finding a seat, I was now on a short trip into the city to then cat the xpt train service to my destination in another state which would not leave for another two and a half hours, so I have plenty of time up my sleeve for any hiccups along the way, as we all know public transport is convenient yet not reliable for being on time as it is likely to be delayed along the way for many of reasons.

Random with the people that presented themselves as they walked through the doors to join the ride to the city it was a mixture of sorts. One person sat beside me when there were empty seats available throughout the cart, I didn’t mind until they began talking to me even though I clearly had my headphones in and was listening to music. Taking one ear piece out to ask them to repeat themselves.

“sorry I didn’t hear you, I am listening to my music”.

It was kind of hint that I didn’t want to talk at that moment and was happy to just chill as I listened to music. They didn’t care though and just kept talking, I felt obliged to listen and reply as I am not that rude to just switch off and ignore someone that obviously wanted or needed to talk to someone. As they kept talking and I kept listening and replying we both missed our stop and had to get off at the next stop and go back, when we got off we had no idea that it would be a half hour wait until the next train that would be stopping for us to then stop at all strainstations that were needed. The rest were trains that would go right through as an express train.

I was rather passed off as you could imagine, I like to be early so I can relax before boarding my xpt train but now I’ll be down half an hour and stressed. Apologising the person offered to buy me a coffee since we had to wait so long, smiling with many thanks I replied that I do not drink coffee and that I would just wait here for the next train for my original station. Getting on the next train that arrived I noticed that person still sitting at the cafe not worrying about the trains arrival, I sat down and saw that they never even looked up as we started to leave the station. I put my earphones back in and began listening to my music once more. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder, I looked up and it was people asking if I knew what stations this train would stop at, I had no idea so I just told them that all I knew was the one that I needed. Thanking me they then walked to other seats to sit down.

Next thing I knew the train was slowing down in a tunnel, and then stopped. Sighing to myself I looked up and everyone looked confused, it was a silent twenty two minutes before we heard an announcement. “There is a delay due to someone on the tracks, no one has been injured, the authorities are doing the best they can to help the person so we can get back to where we need to go, so please stay calm and we should be good to go soon, thank you for your understanding”. Everyone got louder, everyone began to question this and everyone was worried. It was another fifteen minutes before we started to move but even when we started moving it was going so slow that it didn’t feel like it was moving at all it just felt like everything outside was passing us by.

Eventually I got to my station, I went to the platform that was on my ticket and there was no one around. I panicked and asked the closest person wearing a yellow jacked that looked like they worked there.

“Excuse me, do you know what platform my train is on?”, I asked showing them my ticket.

They told me that the train was delayed by an hour and what the new platform number was. Thanking them I walked over to the new platform to wait for my xpt train. The hour passed quickly and the next thing I knew the train arrived. Hearing all the announcements to say when and who can board the correct trains, when it was done I decided to put my bags on the train and find my seat. I had a window seat I was in a seating area of six seats, two beside me and three in front of me.

This is going to be fun, I thought to myself. No leg room and it’s over a four hour train ride. I hope no one sits beside me...

As the train became full my area was still empty, shocked but loving it I spread myself out and enjoyed the ride. It was the next stop that one spot got filled, then the longer the ride the more got on, looks like I wasn’t as lucky as I thought. It was about an hour n half in for my train ride when I needed to go to the toilet, I usually go before my trip but with all the mix ups I didn’t want to leave the platform before my train arrived so now I was sitting there busting to go. Not being able to hold it in any longer I got up and waited in the queue to use the tiny cubical on the train, this is the reason why I never used a toilet on a train or bus before, they are always disgusting and small, no space.

I waited for ten minutes and was about to give up when the door opened, a blushed guy walked out as I walked in, then it hit me, the smell was so bad.. hitting the button to lock the door I waited for it to close, I sat down to use the toilet and just as I was about to wipe the door opened and the whole train of people were looking right at me. Stunned and shocked like a dear in spotlight I screamed at the guy as he just stood there, just as shocked and embarrassed as I was.

“SHUT THE FUCKING DOOR”

I felt so embarrassed, as soon as the door closed I quickly wiped and walked over to lock the door “again”.

Omfg, what am I going to do, everyone saw me and now I have to go back out and sit in a crowded cart full of people, and I still have two hours of this train ride to go. Oh the shame.

I think I sat in that tiny cubicle for about another ten minutes before I got up the courage to open the door and walk past everyone that saw me with my pants down. As soon as I opened the door, the guy couldn’t stop apologiseing, he couldn’t look me in the eye but kept saying sorry. Realising that the door was obviously faulty and that it wasn’t his fault I apologised to him too.

“It is ok, it is not your fault, the lock is obviously faulty as I did hit the button once I was in there, but it didn’t work”

we both had a laugh out of embarrassment and he went to use the toilet as I sat back down. Everyone was watching as we both went our seperate ways, one kid pointed and said I saw her on the toilet, the mother quickly pulled his arm down and said ssshhh don’t point and just mind your own business. I think the following two hours were the longest two hours of my life on a train, I kept to myself and did not look up at all. Once I arrived at my destination I was the first to hope off the train and I power walked to my family that were waiting for me near the stations entrance, I never looked back and I never hopped on another train for a long distance journey ever again. It went from bad to worse for me that day and I never want to experience it ever again.