Covid Musings 5
Weekly covid musings from Scotland.
On Boxing Day the train carriage contained several loud and boisterous youths gaily sharing whisky evidently having a party. This despite regular tannoy announcements throughout the network that, “Consumption of alcohol is banned on all Scotrail services, as is the visible display of alcohol”.
Boxing Day was the last day for a game before the onset of covid mandated three-week football lockdown. The wise practise here is for supporters not to show their colours until they gather in strength. There were seven of them - enough for defence - so the fact that they weren’t wearing colours signalled their desire to avoid football inspired trouble. The ticket collector chose not to enter our carriage presumably to avoid challenging their lack of masks and their alcohol consumption.
Here on Scotrail you can buy a ticket from a cashless machine at the station or you can pay on board. Cash transactions and concession fares are on-board only and the conductor often doesn’t have time to serve every ticketless passenger. So at the terminus you have to queue up to get tickets from a clerk before being able exit the automatic barriers. Twenty of us made our way to the ticket booth but there was no sign of a clerk.
The area we found ourselves in was walled in by trains on either side and a ticket booth behind giving the impression of being in a closed alley with only a restricted narrow view out front. As the last of the passengers cleared the barriers the place became deserted and we found ourselves alone. The place became deathly quiet and slightly unnerving. Remember this is a large station with many platforms that usually have trains coming and going or stationary with their engines running.
A feeling of comradeship gradually emerged and we began to huddle together as we snaked round the queuing ropes. Shuffling continued until we came as close as we could without actually touching. Only one of us was wearing a mask and even he shuffled closer, only keeping slightly more separation than the rest of us. No two meter rule here nor even one meter, instead instinctive self preservation.
A station guard appeared and we made our protestations. In reply we got “Nothing to do with me mate, not my department”. Another came into view in the distance, we shouted again. He raised two fingers and mouthed “Two minutes”. Fifteen minutes later a clerk showed up, we got tickets and then dispersed. As I entered the main concourse from our alley I could see that it was indeed deserted with only five or six individuals visible. The TV and press drumbeat of omicron being worse than the black death obviously worked because Boxing Day is usually heaving.
The city streets were quiet and the shops deserted. The pub likewise and this week was table service only, forbidden to approach the bar but at least it is still open. Businesses can’t be making any money here.
The next Glasgow demonstrations are on Saturday 8th January at Nelson’s Monument and 22nd January at Commonwealth Monument, both on “Glasgow Green” starting at 1.00pm. I will be wearing my Yellow Spot.