Man Versus Bus: The Verdict

Well, here’s a test, and no mistake. My car is off the road!

It all started (yes, it’s bit of a story. It is a blog after all) when I went out for some eggs on Friday afternoon. Rather than prop up the major supermarkets, we thought it would be nice to support a local business so we went up to Ingoe, a tiny place north of Matfen, which is itself a tiny place. 

Goodfellows Family Farm is somewhere I visit a lot in my official capacity, so I’d been there before many a time to pick up two children and occasionally a dozen eggs. I drop the children off at school, and drop the eggs into a frying pan where they usually end up nestling a rasher of bacon and some mushrooms on my breakfast plate. Good job I don’t get those two jobs mixed up, although I’m sure the teachers would appreciate a fried breakfast.

As I approached the farm we were met by an articulated lorry coming the other way and I had to reverse to let him out. A smell filled the air, and not I hasten to add as a result of me eating too many eggs. This was a burning smell, and our first thoughts were that it was coming from the lorry as it eased its way out of the farm entrance, brakes and clutch complaining about the strain. But no. He headed off up the road and didn’t take the smell with him, which we thought was a bit rude. It seemed that it was coming from my own dear old jalopy. We collected the eggs and limped home, expecting something to go bang at any minute. 

Still, we made it, and I spoke to Dave at Grant’s Garage in Low Prudhoe to see if he could try and find the cause of the smell. He would be happy to, but due to the fact that he’s such a good mechanic and he runs a very successful business, he couldn’t see me before Tuesday. I forced a smile, blinked and sat down as the realisation hit me. For the next few days, I would have to rely on – PUBLIC TRANSPORT!

For years while I worked at the Ministry in Longbenton, buses, trains and I had a love-hate relationship. I loved the idea of kicking back with a book, letting someone else do the driving while I did my bit to save the planet. But Public Transport hated me and had other ideas. At least, I assume it did; the trains would be late, cancelled or dirty, or the buses would travel around the back roads in what appeared to be an attempt to make me late for work, which I often was. And now I was to face my nemesis again, because on the very first day of being without my own means of transport, I would have to travel to Hexham.

However…I managed it, just like millions of people do every day. Although only a fraction of those millions actually go to Hexham, of course. Granted I was a little early for my appointment there, but the journey there and back was completely stress free. It helped that I now have an App which tells me exactly where my bus is at any moment so I don’t have to wait for hours at a bus stop, and in my pocket is a free bus pass as I’m now “of a certain age”. I actually enjoyed my trip to Hexham and even stopped off for a pint in Corbridge on my way back.

At the moment, my car is due back on Tuesday. It had better be sorry for all the trouble it’s caused, or else it’s the bus for me from now on.