Saturday 30 June 2007

I Do Have A Heart

After a hard day at work I was rushing around trying to get some shopping done for my son’s forthcoming birthday. I was stressed out and a little irate. (nothing changed there then)
It was dark, cold, and wet in the car park as I was loading my car up with gifts that I felt obligated to buy. I noticed that I was missing a receipt that I might need later. So mumbling under my breath, I retraced my steps to the shopping centre entrance.
As I was searching the wet pavement for the lost receipt, I heard a quiet sobbing. The crying was coming from a poorly dressed boy of about 12 years old. He was short and thin. He had no coat. He was just wearing a ragged old football shirt (Liverpool fc) to protect him from the cold night’s chill.
Oddly enough, he was holding a fifty pound note in his hand. Thinking that he had got lost from his parents, I asked him what was wrong. He told me this sad story.

He said that he came from a large family. He had three brothers and four sisters all of whom also had birthdays imminent just like my lad. His father had cleared off when he was nine years old. His mother was poorly educated and worked two full time jobs. She made very little to support her large family. Nevertheless, she had managed to skimp and save one hundred pounds to buy her children birthday presents. The young boy had been dropped off, by his mother, on the way to her second job. He was to use the money to buy presents for others and save just enough to take the bus home. He had not even entered the shopping centre, when an older boy grabbed one of the fifty pound notes and disappeared into the side streets.
“Why didn’t you scream for help?” I asked. The boy said, “I did.”
“And nobody came to help you?” I wondered. (typical of the way society is today)
The boy just stared at the pavement and sadly shook his head. “How loud did you scream?” I enquired.
The soft-spoken boy looked up, tears in his eyes and meekly whispered, “Help me!”
I realised that absolutely no one could have heard that poor little boys cry for help. So I quickly grabbed his other fifty pound note and legged it back to my car.

Result or what?

ONLY JOKING.... After a days work and a trip home on the bus, this was waiting for me in an email so I thought I'd share it with you....

Thursday 28 June 2007

High Plane Drifter

Arrived at Belfast International Airport to catch a flight for a work trip to England. After fighting my way through the smoke filled air at the departures doors in the main terminal where a collection of smokers where standing puffing their heads off. (It's very scary when you arrive at any airport when the first sign you see says terminal then comes departures, for those nervous fliers not words you welcome)
Into the fresh air of the check in. There it was my queue and no one at the desks. At last they opened the gates and forward I went. A bit of advice, never pick a queue with a family in front of you. The bags the passports the wait ..... so eventually I make the check out. The usual questions, "Did you pack your bag yourself, could anyone have interfered with it" and last but not least "Has anyone asked you to carry anything for them" no was the answer to all the questions. I had a question for her though, I asked "Could I have a window seat please". "Not a problem sir" if it wasn't a problem why hell did the seat I was given have a seat either side of it.
So my bag is on it's way to the hold in the plane so I headed for the departure lounge. Security has been stepped up in recent years so why do people still try and take liquids and cosmetics through security when there are signs everywhere saying not too, so yet again I was held up. Then it's shoes, belt, jacket, money keys and mobile phones all into a basket for scanning and a personal search (less the rubber glove of course ) At last in the lounge, now for a pint. While enjoying my pint and reflecting on the past moments got me thinking. After all the security checks I went through before I was allowed into the lounge why did no one see fit to check my bag which by now is getting loaded onto the plane. Is it that we all just look honest at the check in desk?

Sunday 24 June 2007

Tescos @ Ballygomartin

Saturday evening I was kidnapped by my other half to go shopping. I had been out at a local hostelry (afternoon pass) and had a couple of lemonades with my new son in law. My good lady had offered to collect me which she did. I had not agreed to go shopping though, but alas I ended up at Tescos at Ballygomartin. I called for help but no one came to my assistance.

I thought I'd had too much of the devils buttermilk when i saw this car. One of my pet hates is people who park in disable spaces when they are not entitled too. The driver of this car has crossed the line (no pun intended) entitled too or not they should be ashamed of themselves taking up both spaces. Its the first time I've ever see two disabled spaces taken up by the one car. In all honesty who the hell parks like this. (They should have gone to Specsavers)

You should take a trip to Tescos at Ballygomartin to see the wonderful drivers who shop there. There are always loads of car spaces in the car park as some of the drivers just like the one in the picture just park anywhere.

Wednesday 20 June 2007

Follow That Car

Have you ever had to follow a car. Today it was my turn. I was going to a place I wasn't sure how to get to (I don't have GPS either) so a work colleague said follow me I know where it is. As I was in the big vehicle and he (yes, it was a he) was in a niffty vw polo. I set off first with the knowledge that I'd be passed on the motorway, and all I would have to do is follow him to the location.
In the off side mirror (Drivers side for those who don't know) I spotted the car over taking me, great I thought but was I wrong. I thought the whole concept of following someone is that both parties have to keep visual contact with one another, anyway the fast car kept going and was too far in front of me that I never seen it leave the motorway so I sailed past the junction. What an awful feeling when you realise oops I should have turned off there. I had to leave the motorway at another junction and back track ..... can you really believe a guy who says sorry while busting a gut laughing??? Thanks mate I owe you.

Tuesday 19 June 2007

A Better Day

Someone was looking after me today, not a bad day all round apart for the driver in the black Corsa not knowing how to keep up with the car in front. she left that much space that lane changers (weaver birds) where able to slot in by pairs. Her rear parcel shelf was packed full with bags, no way was she seeing out the rear window, she must have thought no one was behind her.
I became a pedestrian after lunch and was waiting to cross the road, I noticed the traffic light changing from green to amber then red. This silver car (I gave them be benifit of the doubt) just about made it through the lights, an orange car that had been behind it just followed on through without a care in the world, to be caught in the traffic at the other side of the traffic lights. (100 yards distance, well worth risking the licence for, dont you think)

Monday 18 June 2007

Day Off

Day off today but still had some driving to do. It started with driving the missus in to work and from the time I drove out the gate I seemed to be fair game. The bottom of our street leads onto the main road about 30 feet from traffic lights. How many times have you seen these clampets, traffic lights at red nowhere to go, and still won't leave a space so you can access the main road to turn right. The best was still to come though, this time from a pedestrian. There she was the young mother, fake tan, loads of bling, pink baseball cap and jammys, feg in the hand and pushing the buggy occupied by a child. (she would have done Vicky Pollard proud ... yeah but no but). I spotted her from a distance (think the was visible from space) and as I was getting close she decided to cross the road and whats the first thing she did, that's right, pushes the buggy off the kerd then stops to see if any traffic is coming .... oh yes the pedestrian crossing was less than 50 yards away.... Do they still teach road safety?
Sitting at traffic lights on the Shankill road waiting on the lights changing to green I noticed a souped up knitting machine (50cc motorcycle) facing me on the opposite side of the road. I just knew by his body language he was busting to see the amber light to impress the car drivers by getting the machine away as fast as he could. His moment of fame came and went as he stalled the bike in front other traffic ...... no TT races for him ..... but oh how it made me smile

Sunday 17 June 2007

Fathers Day

Fathers day today so not much to moan about you think .... Wrong!
No traveling to do today so I thought I'd have a long lie in, all was going well until the church bells started ringing then the place became hornsville. Why do taxis sit and repeatedly blow there horns at all hours when they are waiting to pick someone up. They have the address, wrap the door. Then again they would have to get up of their arse and walk a few yards.
There is a house close by who's child gets picked up Monday > Friday at 08.10 (same time for the last two years) the the driver insists on blowing her horn to announce her arrival. (Perhaps the parents forgot she was coming)

Saturday 16 June 2007

Out In The Sticks

Nothing like driving early in the morning. I had to do a 190 round trip today, so made an early start. Made the motorway with no problems and never really met any of the look at me drivers until I was about 5 mile from my destination. I know I have mentioned 4x4s in an earlier post but they are everywhere. Driving down this country road, heavy rain beating off the windscreen, the wipers going at full tilt. I notice one coming towards me with a horse box in tow. I slowed down as it approaches and I couldn't believe my eyes. The driver (Female) wearing sun glasses…
The trip back was a little bit more eventful. Approaching Enniskillen from the Sligo Road traffic had backed up. There’s a lot of road works going on in the area, and loads of yellow boxes along the road. I was waiting for the traffic to move so I could enter then clear the box, as the traffic moved I moved. This Clio full of teenage culchies (probably going to the big town to see running water or the magic electric light) cut in front of me which meant the rear of my vehicle then was stuck in the yellow box. One of the young yokels in the back of the car gave me the V sign. (Which I thought was quite clever of him considering he was stuck in the back of a car which was stuck in traffic) As I know a little sign language myself I was able to communicate to him that I thought his name was Richard Cranium. Needless to say there was no reply. Don’t worry my vehicle was stopped when I took the picture.

The School Drop Off

Been there done it. Many a time in passed years I did my part as the dutiful parent by being the school taxi. Dropping the sprogs off picking them up, you know the story. I made sure I was early in dropping them off as I knew the bedlam that unfolds outside schools wither it be at the start or finish of the day, wacky races springs to mind. This morning those awful memories floated back as I was getting close to the local primary school.
When it's pouring down with rain it always brings out more cars driven by lovable mums who have to drive their kids the 100 yrds to school in case mummy gets her hair wet and think it is their God given right to park facing the wrong way smack bang on the pedestrian crossing zig zag line which they think someone has painted just for them to park on. They then precede to open the vehicles doors out onto the road so the kids can jump out into the path of oncoming traffic (No Tuffty club badge for them) Then there's the yummy mummy with her big 4x4 (Which she thinks equals 16 kids in the car) Probably the biggest thing they have ever driven before that is a silver cross pram. She thinks she is parked beside the kerb when in fact you have to use about litre of fuel to get round the thing and I'm sure the kids are exhausted by the time they reach the footpath.

Friday 15 June 2007

Visit to the Filling Station

Today I had the misfortune of having to refuel. The large vehicle I drive can only fit into certain filling stations and unfortunately some don't have a separate HGV pump which leaves me at the mercy of the common motorist. Today they were all out.
Have you ever went into a filling station which also has the shop where you can buy almost anything. The station I was in has extra parking spaces for shoppers, how thoughtful. Needless to say some people decided to park at the fuel pumps as it's closer to the shop then go off and do their weekly shop. It never fails to amaze me how people drive round and round until they get a parking space as close to the shop door as possible, then they will walk for miles inside the shop? the mind boggles.
A school mini bus arrived (minus pupils) while I was fueling up and the driver was smoking a cigarette. I really don't care if he wants to go down the road of catching a smoking related illness but I do care about the naked flame of his cigarette while I'm standing with a pump dispensing inflammable liquid in my hand and tank of the stuff under my feet. Some people just has no wit. Speaking of no wit, the green van man was driving out of the station, with a sausage roll, steering wheel in the one hand and you guessed it, the mobile up to the ear with the other.

Thursday 14 June 2007

It Didn't Take Long

It didn't take long for me to get annoyed, just five minutes from work to be precise. Picture this, a main city traffic junction. As the traffic lights changed to green, which to most people signals go, but the lady in the big silver merc decides to buy a evening paper off one of the new junction paper sellers that are becoming the normal about our city, not that I have anything against self enterprise but when it interferes with my journey home then I get annoyed. Perhaps the car is too big for her to park outside a newsagent. My advice to her is to either get a smaller car or have the paper delivered.
A few minutes later at a mini roundabout we go to the other end of car scales, the small car. I don't want to sound sexist but this one was also driven by a female. The word out there is men can't multitask, that may be true considering how this woman was multitasking. I have to take my hat off to her. She was negotiating a four road mini roundabout, changing gear, and talking on her mobile phone all at the same time. (someone must tell her about handfree kits) I did feel a little sorry for her though, she had a big Leeds FC badge swinging on her rear window ...... which I have to say would be causing a blind spot in her rear view, but hey what would I know anyway.

Tuesday 12 June 2007

The First Blog

I thought "Who Really Gives a Read or Write" is a fine title for a blog. To be honest I don't read blogs as a rule as I believe people who sit and create blogs have something lacking in their mainstream life and lets face it "Who Really does Give a read or Write"
As I have you attention at this moment in time I'll tell you a little about the direction I wish my blog to take.

In the past I have bent the ears of loved ones, friends, colleagues the odd dog in the street about what has annoyed me that particular day in my life and believe me I can get annoyed. I know fine rightly they don't want to listen or more to the point CARE. So I'll blog it and hopefully somewhere the world of blogging someone will in fact be supportive in what I'm ranting about and perhaps even understand where I'm coming from.

Rants to follow.

C ya.