The march was great. As an Lasair Dhearg were setting up I caught sight of Dixie Elliot, in large thanks to his black bushy eyebrows. I figured I may not get the chance to speak to him again for some time so I approached him and introduced myself. He shook my hand and greeted me with delight. He introduced me to everybody, and they were all so welcoming.
A couple of minutes later Danny Bean joined our conversation and took to me so kindly. We had a great talk and he was so sound. Dixie offered me the chance to march alongside him and it wasn't something I was going to say no to. There were clear blue skies all afternoon, which made for a great first visit to Derry. I really liked the layout of the city, well, the parts we marched. Everything looked so compact and close together, giving a homely, tight-knit community feeling. My father warned beforehand of a hilly terrain, however I quite liked that aspect as I felt it gave a bit more character to the area. Something Dixie expanded on as we turned each corner with his insights, helping to create an image in my mind of the city and its story, past and present.
Upon reaching the Free Derry mural and the end of the march, Chopper was looking for my whereabouts, so I left Dixie and co. to a warm goodbye. Unfortunately I didn't get to listen to the orations. However, that just gives me more reason to return next time around.
After I got word of where an Lasair Dhearg crew were I took on down to Jack's bar. We stuck in for just a pint as I had to leave early in order to catch the last train to Drogheda. We grabbed a bite of food in Andy's takeaway before we set out for Belfast. A guy called Reds was driving Chopper and I home. We had a good talk in the car journey and I made it with less than an hour before my train. Moments before leaving the car Chopper had mentioned the word jobsworth - essentially someone who values their job over human morals. Little did I know I was about to encounter one. Generally when I travel to Belfast I book my ticket online, where you can set a leave and return date on your ticket, however I left it too late to pay online - they normally stop online payments an hour or so before the train. This meant that my return ticket had the same date on it. When I had got through to the ticket check before going on the train, the worker took note of this and called it out. I explained my situation but they insisted that I should have known this before coming up here, which I concede is in part a fair assessment. As to not cause a scene, I took it on the chin and made my way over to the ticket box. I told the lad working it my situation and he asked where I was headed. I said 'Drogheda' and asked for a child ticket. he asked my age and I told him. Apparently this doesn't qualify as a child in the 6 counties. He ordered me an adult single and it ran me up for 21 pound, with exchange equalling to 27 euro. My face turned raw red. I hadn't spent a single penny on the trip other than food in Derry and a Subway in Belfast, making for somewhere around 15 pound. My trip now runs to nearly 50 euro in the space of only a couple of minutes. After an outburst of dissent to the worker, I quickly calmed down and composed myself. He had a big screen preventing my fist from reaching his face! I decided I would stick up to the price and keep a receipt as to remember to always book online with Irish Rail from now on, no matter what.
Besides that moment at the end, that trip was fantastic, and I won't allow it to cast a shadow over it. Again, it was lovely to speak and I'll let you know when I'm coming up next.
Cam Comments
ReplyDeleteNice wee account from Rónán.....typical of Translink to fuck people over a matter of insignificance...he had originally bought the ticket in good faith, not trying to pull one over on them....they should have realised that...I had the same run in with a traffic warden in Lisburn....I came back to the car in a pay and display carpark and he was standing at my drivers door in the process of issuing me a ticket...I couldn't understand what the issue was as I had paid for my stay and displayed it on the dashboard......I thought that may it had slipped off....when I asked what the issue was he said that I hadn't paid for my parking and it was a traffic violation...I looked at the dashboard and there was the ticket which I pointed out to him...he asked me where I got that ticket from and I pointed out the ticket booth at the entrance to the carpark and he said that booth is for on-street parking as the sign clearly indicates and that I should have either used the one at the top of the carpark or that one about 20 - 30 feet away...I responded that the LED display on that ticketing machine has failed and the user can't see what is going on and the other one was too far away...he said the next time maybe you should consider stretching your legs a bit further as it would save you money in the end....I was raging at the prick and I asked where the sign was stating that the ticketing machine I used was for on-street parking only...he pointed out a sign hidden by a parked van and I mentioned this to him and he said, not his problem if it is hidden and not properly displayed, I would need to take that up with the proper dept.....I then explained look it isn't as if I was trying to park here and get away with it, I've actually paid but mistakenly used the wrong machine...not his problem.....So I excused him to move away from my door and I opened it, put in my shopping and climbed in behind the wheel and closed the door and started the car...he wrapped the window and I lowered it about 2 inches and he said what did I think I was doing as he hadn't finished writing out the ticket and I said I'm leaving and he said you can't, I have to complete the ticket....so my response was simply, why don't you take that ticket you jobsworth (looked like a retired ex British security force person too, maybe that's where the animosity on my part came from as well as dealing with a dick) and stick it up your fuck'n arsehole...he responded you can't talk to me like that and I said I just did and I will as there is no law against using foul language and if he didn't move I would ring the PSNI to tell them I was being held against my will...he moved over at that and he said what about this incomplete ticket, what am I going to tell my manager and I responded, tell him you're a cunt and today you met an even bigger one!!!!! I drove off and left him standing there.....you see I knew that parking tickets are not legal documents until they are left on your windscreen.......that's the law, they have to be placed on the vehicle in clear view of the driver...if not, then they are not legally applicable.........now that was a jobsworth that got his just desserts!
I have been encouraging him to write.
DeleteFirinne has been doing some for the blog so it was good to have him follow.
He was not at all pleased with the jobsworth.