A morning of cold, damp air awaits anyone else who is getting up right now. Judging by the ghostly wake left by a departing ship, the Blue Star has been and gone, and that explains the rush of mopeds that passed the house about five minutes before departure. Funny that, ain’t it? He asks, his mind already turning to characters in 1894, currently waiting for him to release them from where he left them suspended in the imagination. I mean, it’s funny how different people deal with vehicular departures.
There are those who, when flying, like to be at the airport at least two days before check-in just in case there is a problem (Neil), and those who roll up at boarding time, walk calmly through and on, and wonder what the fuss was about. There are those who, when taking a train, arrive at a station, identify the platform, check the time, locate the café, have a picnic, hold a conversation with everyone in the café, unpack three bags, repack three bags, buy onboard supplies, including another picnic, and then calculate exactly where to stand on the platform to be in the right place when the doors open, and there, wait for the next 40 minutes (Jenine). Then, there are those who arrive at the railway station, stop, look at a board, scan the area, walk to the platform, and two minutes later, board the train. (Harry.)
As for boats, well, living on an island, it’s vital to know when and where, and to be there so as not to miss. Yet there are some, like me, who know the boat won’t leave until the time on the ticket, so work back 30 minutes from departure and allow 20 minutes to walk down, therefore arriving with 10 to spare. Others play a game where you wait at home until the boat pulls in, and then you race down the road on your moped and drive straight on. I dare say there are yet more who think, ‘It won’t go without me’, only to find themselves stranded, but there you are.
A good ol’ morning observation of no consequence, and now, it’s onto my other blog, and then onto releasing the characters from wherever I have left them – it will have something to do with hansom cabs, steam trains and/or horses. Here’s another random gallery of Neil’s Symi photos.
