WHAT??!!!! The pudgy, balding, one-eyed station attendant (okay, so he didn't really have one eye but I am feeling particularly ungenerous towards him) looked at me coldly: "It's the rules, love, and it says on that there window that you can't travel on the Southern line with a pre-paid Oyster card. I'm going to need t0 get some details from you."
I looked around wildly (for what I have no idea), my eyes filled with tears, my bottom lip trembled and my heart started beating furiously..."but, but, no, see you don't understand, I only have £20 in my wallet and I need to get my husband's dry cleaning with that by 6pm... I can't go home WITHOUT THE DRY CLEANING". I was starting to get a little hysterical at this point thinking how the heck was I going to break the news to Mr Messy that I had managed to travel illegally on a train (albeit unknowingly), got a fine and had no money to get home let alone get his dry cleaning (which he needed for a 7am flight this morning).
Y'all know I am a worrier, but this was, as Clarice Bean would say, THE WORST WORRY I DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO WORRY ABOUT*. I always pay my fare on public transport for fear of getting into strife, and because I have an "automatic top up"Oyster card I usually just jump on the tube or bus, swipe my card and off I go. No problem. Except for yesterday...
As the tears started to roll down my cheek, I reached into my bag and started fishing around for my purse (yes, I am hearing you blog fans- I KNOW I need to clean out my bag!), when suddenly I hear a soft voice from above:"Well, now, what seems to be the problem here... I think we can put that pad away Bubba..." (my name for evil, one-eyed, pudgy man).
My Most Excellent guardian angel had arrived! I could have hugged him and probably would have done so if I wasn't laden down with so many heavy bags (probably my resemblance to a slightly overgrown and stressed hobbit helped my cause somewhat...).
Instead, I hustled my way to the ticket window, paid my fare and got the hell out of there.
Blog readers, you will be happy to know that despite having to walk home (the tube line got suspended just as I was boarding), I managed to get the dry cleaning. Disaster narrowly averted, again.
*The Ruby Redfort Survival Handbook states "REMEMBER- it's the worry you haven't even thought to worry about — that is the worry that should worry you the most."
Now to the shoot with Jane and Eleanor- oh my, I couldn't have asked for two more gorgeous, fun gals! Jane is a spitting image of Princess Diana (she has amazing big blue eyes) and Eleanor (whose nickname is Pickle!!!) is the sweetest, cutest little girl. Eleanor was such a trooper who giggled, chatted and slept (yep, you read that correctly readers) her way through the long day and rather horrid weather. Jane was completely fabulous and didn't even laugh at me when I stepped in a massive, steaming pile of doggie poop at the park (WHY dear readers does that type of thing happen to me??!)
I will ask Jane if I can give y'all a sneaky peak of our session once I have processed the photos.
Thank you so much Jane and Eleanor- your "Pickle Smiles" made my day (and more than made up for evil, one-eyed, pudgy man!)
p.s. the ickle puppy above was NOT the purveyor of the poop. Trust me, it came from a much larger source than this little fella.