My journey from Hadleigh to the Vaudeville Theatre involves my taking the no 15 bus from Fenchurch St to the Strand.\u00a0 Now, often, the poor service offered by said omnibus in as much as buses running very late, changing destination halfway through the journey and ignorant, cocky drivers, has been the source of much anger and frustration to me, but on three occasions now I\u2019ve had a really enjoyable ride.<\/p>\n
The 15 route is one of the few that still uses the beautiful old Routemaster buses.\u00a0 I love it when I see that the bus coming towards me is one of these because it makes for a really nostalgic ride, taking me back to going to school and to piano lessons and shopping and Saturday job, all done on a Routemaster.\u00a0 All along the route tourists rush to the edge of the pavement to try to take a picture of their spouse\/friend\/child\/parent\/sibling in front of the bus.\u00a0 Elderly foreigners almost give themselves a coronary, running to catch it so they can boast to the folks back home that they rode on a Routemaster.\u00a0 These buses have a two-man crew and what has made my three journeys special is a certain bus conductress.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s a short lady with an African accent and I have never seen anyone so happy in their job!<\/p>\n
She\u2019s bossy, but always says \u201cplease\u201d <\/em>and then gives you a huge smile at the end of one of her commands.\u00a0 \u201cHold tight!\u00a0 Hold tight, please!\u201d\u00a0 \u201cGo upstairs quickly, please!\u201d \u201cSit down!\u00a0 Sit down, please!\u201d <\/em>\u00a0Watching her interact with foreigners is better than any TV show.\u00a0 Her way of dealing with them is to shout loudly, wave her arms and SMILE.\u00a0<\/p>\n I watched her talking to an elderly Italian couple who were asking about fare prices.<\/p>\n MAN:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You no \u2018ave every day ticket.<\/p>\n CONDUCTRESS: \u00a0Season ticket?<\/p>\n WOMAN:\u00a0 Not every day.\u00a0 All day ticket.<\/p>\n CONDUCTRESS:\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 You buy Travelcard.\u00a0 All bus (arms waving in big circles, embracing the bus network). <\/em>\u00a0All bus. All bus.\u00a0 All city.\u00a0 Cheaper price. (finger and thumb rub together and a big SMILE).<\/em><\/p>\n On another trip an older, larger lady ran to catch the bus, clambering on with the little Conductress heaving her up under the arms and onto the platform while shouting \u201cThere we go!\u00a0 There we go!\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>and then announcing to the whole lower deck \u201cShe made it!\u00a0 She made it!\u201d <\/em>and then beaming at us all, inviting us to join in the celebration of the woman catching the bus.<\/p>\n Her laugh is infectious; her short braids jingle around her head and her eyes shine.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure that half the foreigners who ask her questions don\u2019t fully understand her reply, but because whatever she says is accompanied by much arm-waving and such a huge grin they get off the bus convinced they\u2019ve understood her.\u00a0 She\u2019s certainly brightened up my journeys and many of the surly, arrogant male drivers \u2013 many of whom barely speak English or make no attempt to understand\u00a0anyone who speaks\u00a0to them \u2013 could learn much from her.<\/p>\n Next time I\u2019m on her bus I\u2019m going to ask her name.\u00a0 And I\u2019m going to write to Transport for London and tell them what a great asset to the company she is.\u00a0 After all, I complain about poor service so it\u2019s only right that I give praise where praise is due.<\/p>\n And it wouldn\u2019t be my blog without a whinge, would it?\u00a0 And today I have two. \u00a0They shall be called from now on my Retailers’ Raspberries; the first goes to WH Smith who \u201coffer you the choice\u201d of paying 20p for a long-lasting back or 1p for a normal plastic bag.\u00a0 From now on I won\u2019t be shopping there anymore.\u00a0 Yes I know that Clegg’s bringing in the 5p tax on a bag but by then I’ll have everything delivered. And my second Retailers’ Raspberry goes to Sancto Fancy Dress Shop in Southend, who refused to take back an item which I had the receipt for, I hadn\u2019t opened and which they could have, therefore, re-sold.\u00a0 The shop assistant just stood there saying \u201cIt\u2019s our policy not to take back goods.\u201d<\/p>\n I know that probably by law they don\u2019t have to, but, especially in a recession, how short-sighted is it not to?\u00a0 They could have given me a credit note but instead I got the needle-stuck recording \u201cIt\u2019s our policy not to take back goods.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Well, it\u2019s now also my policy to take my custom elsewhere.<\/p>\n And finally a huge CONGRATULATIONS! to the understudies who gave outstanding performances in the understudy run of the Ladykillers on Tuesday afternoon.\u00a0 Carol Dance, Blair Plant, Andy Ashford and Matthew Bunn, you nailed it!\u00a0 Well done!\u00a0 I love you guys!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My journey from Hadleigh to the Vaudeville Theatre involves my taking the no 15 bus from Fenchurch St to the Strand.\u00a0 Now, often, the poor service offered by said omnibus in as much as buses running very late, changing destination … Continue reading