Great Western Coffee Shop

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/usingmobile.jpg)

Travelling by train yesterday from ... well, never mind where from at the moment, I was struck by the sign above.

The young gentleman seated at the table about 4 sets of seats up was clear trying to impress the young lady seated beside him, talking in a loud voice about garlic sauce, and the different types and ways to make it, and which is best.  I'll confess to not being an expert (nor having a great interest) in garlic sauce, so my mind strayed to the sign which only tells people to keep the noise to a minimum when using the mobile phone, so I guess that telling the whole world (well - half a carriage) about Garlic Sauce, as it's not into a mobile but rather to the object of his flirtation is OK.

Another lady seated nearby took a call from her daughter - or another young family member.   Who was gently but loudly told she would have to wait till mum got home with (http://her) key, as young madam had locked herself out.   I think young madam was either impatient or panicking, and memories of Trigger Happy TV and Dom Jolly came to key mind - "I'm on the train".   As this conversation was into a mobile phone rather than in person, of course it wasn't acceptable within the rules like the garlic sauce one was.

What's the most interesting (or least interesting!) thing you've learned on the train?

This was more inappropriate rather than interesting but I once heard a passenger discussing with her friend whether she should have an abortion. And too cap it all (no pun intended) she then said she couldn't understand why she was pregnant as she had only had sex once with her boyfriend!

Obviously sex education lessons at school had completly passed her by.

Hope it wasn't too painful when it struck you Graham......or at least I hope you only screamed quietly? 😉

Alternatively, was he perhaps just rehearsing his pitch to Sarah Willingham for 'Dragons Den'?  :P ::)

A memorable occasion was on a train out of Paddington when mobiles were still not universal and a young lady (early 20s perhaps) sitting next to me loudly and ostentatiously told her interlocutor that she could possibly say which actor had signed up for her company's film and it was no good pressing her.  Sadly her excitement got the better of her and a large number of people heard her blurt out the name of the actor with an injunction that her friend mustn't tell anyone. The name meant nothing to me so I was not impressed, except with the low level of self-esteem that required such a public conversation.