Oh Thou Blessed Norwood Bus Garage!!!

I have always been curious about Norwood Bus Garage, the final stop for the #2 bus I take sometime.  Wondering whether it is some kind of haven for tired buses to be gloriously rejuvenated overnight.  It’s one of those stop names that catches my attention every time.  Today, I was really happy to visit there after a distressing start to my day.

This is not a picture kind of post, as I was too distraught for that!  The day started off normally, but quickly deteriorated.  Starting out carrying a HHHHEEEAAAVVVYY voltage transformer back to work, from where it was borrowed, BIG BOY added more than a bit of weightiness to the day from the beginning.  Out the door and a few steps down the pavement (sidewalk, in American) when I remembered I’d forgotten THE BAG.  THE BAG is the one with the notebook containing ALL the documents related to my move back to the US – notes, orders, etc., that gets wagged back and forth to-from work each day 

Bag on shoulder, HHHHHEEEEAAAAAVVVVVYYYY transformer in arms and off I go again to #2 bus stop, a tactic that will give me a little respite from carrying the big boy all the way to the station!  I “alight” (not lightly, however) with my heavy load from the bus and go into Marylebone Station where I sit for a few minutes to wait on the 8:07 train to Banbury, from which I will alight at South Ruislip and take the Central Line (tube) to West Ruislip, wagging my heavy load all the way.

As I’m waiting for Chiltern’s Banbury train to start off, I have a fright, as I realize that THE BAG is missing!!!!!!!!   OOOOOOHHHHHH SHIT!!!!  My life is so undone without THE BAG.  I think for a brief moment what to do.  5 minutes until the train leaves.  Yes, I can make it aaaaallllllllllll the way back down the #6 platform to the entry area to see if I’ve left THE BAG there.  NOT, no it isn’t there.   Rrrrrrrrun back toward platform #6 ( my luck, the farthest one!).   Slow down, cause in the distance, there goes the train WITH my heavy transformer, as I had left it on the train, sure I would return.

Think, think!!!  1)  Call work colleages to see if they have the name of another colleague who I saw boarding Banbury-bound; maybe he can rescue BIG BOY.  Line busy, voice message.  Next colleague left her mobile phone at work; not phone number available.  Text comes in with Banbury-bound colleague’s phone number.  Call him to no avail as he has already alighted the train.  Ok, so forget the transformer a bit.  On to the more important loss.  2) To the train information booth to see if THE BAG has been turned in.  It has not.  The bus!  I’ve left it on #2!  Nothing to do but go home and call the bus company.

Meanwhile, what do I do about big boy?  I worry someone will find it & think it is a B@^^B (not a word I like to say out loud, and think of the date, after all).  Should I call the train company or will that just get them upset for nothing and have them come pick me up & haul me off to transport police land?  I do nothing in that regard, but to go online and file a lost property report.

Call the bus company.  Don’t open til 9.  Call Transport for London.  They say call the bus company that doesn’t open til 9 & ask for Norwood Bus Garage, the home of #2.  At 9:03, I call the bus company again.  Rrrrrrrrriiiiinnnngggg, who do you want? Norwood Bus Garage.  Busy.  Classical Music Wait, rrrrrriiiinnnnggg, who do you want?  Norwood Bus Garage.  Busy.  Classical Music Wait, rrrrriiiiinnnngggg,  I’m putting you through (after about 15 minutes of holding).  I have an awful problem, I say.  I’m moving from the country in about 3 weeks and everything I need to do that is in a bag I left on the #2 bus this morning.  What does the bag look like?  Black with coloured spots (it’s dotted, but they say “spots” in England).  Ok, let me take your information.  Wait.  What does it look like again?  Black with coloured spots.  And what is in the bag?  A binder.  What does the binder say?  NFAC.  I have it.  Your bag is right here.  YYYYYYEEEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!   Happiness, rejoicing, praising the LORD for delivering me temporarily of my stupidity!

How do I get to Norwood Bus Garage?  Take #2 bus, last stop!  I’ve never been so happy to ride the #2 bus, meet up with Norwood Bus Garage, and be reunited with THE BAG, my moving-country brain.  Worn out, I go to work at our in-town location and am mildly productive, as most all my energy has been ZAPPED by the morning misadventure! What a day!