The New Timetable

This morning when i got onto the train i had an old bmx with me that my partner and i no longer use.I was bringing it in to work for one of the young people i work with as would rather him ride an old bike than jump trains like he has been.As i got in the carriage in the corner was a short man that made me feel tall and if you have ever seen me i am short.This old man looked like danny de vito's character' the penguin' in Batman returns.This old man was short,bold and had a check umbrella in his hands that he was using as a makeshift walking stick..unfortunately he had buckled knuckels,perhaps it was athritis?.He made a whistling sound through his teeth.As soon as he saw me he told me that those(the bike) wont be allowed on trains in the new train timetable. I nodded because i didnt want to make too much conversation as in previous experiences on the train if you give a nut-nut an inch they will sit next to you on the train and take a mile.He then told me he works for the train (couldn't believe that as he was about 80).He also said in the new timetable there would be a ticket price rise and all trains would stop operating after 7pm in the evening because of all the gangs and terrorists around.He said trains would no longer operate on weekend and that they would be replaced bybuses.As we passed the interste XPT area on the way into the city he said that those trains would be off the new timetable as well because they are too old and then mumbled to himself 'ooh i wonder who is the driver?.. His eyes followed the train until the drivers seat but there was nobody in it because it was off the tracks.

As people came in the train he had a new comment for them.As the train got full he said it was so crowded because the train had come from Campbelltown.It had not come from Campbelltown though.It had come from Lidcombe.