Going To The Wall

So much anxiety and stress in the air of Ringwood, a market town in Hampshire.

In the car park was a car with its front end stoved in. What a way to start the day. The driver must have wanted to convert the straight four or six cylinder engine into a V8 of V12. Running into the back of the vehicle in front is not going to work. Just a moment's lapse of concentration and "Wham" the whole day falls apart. Phoning work to say they will be late. Going through the essential paperwork at the scene of the accident with the other driver. Letting the other half know and then having to arrange recovery of the vehicle. And sorting out transport while the damaged car is off the road. Her day is written off and it isn't even ten thirty.

"Alan! Stop being so judgemental. The driver could have been distracted by anything. An ill relative in hospital. Domestic problems or problems at work."

Happy Wednesday.

Where the bus stops are in a line there was a man in his mid thirties wearing a grey jogging outfit with a backpack. He wasn't settled as he paced back and forth and around. Six steps and turn. Six steps and turn. Six steps and turn and again to return to his starting point. A glance at the screen showing the times of arrivals and departures. Hands raised as an expression o frustration and then the pacing starts again.

Like a caged animal who has walked their allotted area so many times they can do it without thinking or even knowing they are doing it.

If he is catching the same bus as me then I will be very courteous towards him and let him board first. If he goes up, I will go down. If he goes down I will go up.

No need for me to worry as he is not pacing around the stop for the X3.

Oh yes, there is a potential need to worry, an anxiety. What if he is only pacing around that bus stop and when the x3 arrives for Bournemouth hops on it after I have taken my seat up or down?

"Alan! Stop being so judgemental. The poor chap may well have a learning difficulty and most likely cannot help himself. And if he sat next to me he might have been good company."

Be aware and be ready.

At the stop for the X3 I was one amongst a few of a certain age. You know, blue rinse, balding or completely bald, with or without walking aids. We all looked fairly chilled.

The chilled aura around everyone was suddenly shattered when a young lady in her late teens or early twenties flounced into the midst of our informal gathering. She didn't waft in with an air of any decent perfume but with an air of negligent self importance. She looked desperately at the board. Her back was turned to me but I could tell from her body language that she was definitely having a "harumph" moment as she realised the X3 was not going towards Bournemouth at her convenience.

To overcome any perceived inconvenience and a desire to get the bus moving ahead of schedule she barged ahead of the rest of us when it did arrive.

Get used to it love. If your parents never let you realise that is unfair most of the time then they had a serious malfunction.

"Alan! Stop being so judgemental. She may not have had the benefit of a stable family life with parents to guide her. She might be stressed as she is going to see someone at Bournemouth Hospital"

She didn't get off at the hospital so that was one theory theory out the window. As for the parenting theory, I will never know.

When the bus terminated in Bournemouth I set off to achieve my objective for the day.

A while ago I submitted a poem to the 2026 Bournemouth Writing Festival. The responsible committee liked it and told me they would include on "The Poetry Wall" in Bournemouth Library.

Fame and recognition at last? Sort of but still not generating much revenue from putting pen to paper.

My poem was one of thirteen on "The Wall". It will be there for another month if anyone wants to go and see it and give a judgemental opinion.

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