The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


Anthropology Under Our Feet …
April 14, 2020, 6:15 am
Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Culture, London, Tube

How was your Easter?

I tell you what, it’s the first holiday I’ve ever had that I didn’t notice.

It’s also the first holiday I ever had where I ate LESS food than I do during the week.

I tell you, this quarantine is like Christmas for snacking.

If the corona virus doesn’t get you … the obesity will.

Or maybe that’s just me.

So back to the post …

Moving back to London has been pretty awesome.

Sure I miss the madness of Shanghai and the warmth of LA … but it’s been pretty great.

Even the fact I’m an hours commute both ways hasn’t been too horrid.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a long time.

In fact it’s the longest commute I’ve ever had to do since I last lived in England.

In Shanghai I was a 10 minute walk to work.

And in LA, I got to drive [after 15 years of no car] and that was only 20 mins.

But while the tube – and sometimes bus – might have their moments where you absolutely hate it, there is a bunch of stuff to love.

Specifically the people watching.

I absolutely adore the variety of people I see on the tube.

All sat together, even though they would never acknowledge each other.

Rich and poor, side by side, equals … if only for the length of the tube ride.

I absolutely love it when I’m coming back home late from the office and suddenly the tube is filled with elegant elderly people who have obviously come back from the theatre.

Seeing these black ties and gowns mingling with the people coming back from the football is a sight to be seen.

And while the 2 groups don’t talk to each other, they talk to each other.

The tube has a different atmosphere.

It’s nice … positive with a hint of energy.

People who are happy – both for where they’ve just been and where they’re heading.

Recently I was going home and the 2 gentlemen in the pic at the top of this post get on at Sloane Square.

Suddenly they pulled out a ‘nice bottle of red’ … opened it … poured it into a couple of glasses [that they had with them] and enjoyed a little tipple while they chatted about their day on their way to a birthday dinner.

They were perfectly sober. They didn’t bother anyone. They just wanted to make their journey part of their evening experience … and it’s things like this where you forgive all of the tubes pains and just revel in its ability to give you a glimpse into the eccentric, [posh] Britishness that exists 50 feet under the streets.


17 Comments so far
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I love the tube but you won’t be riding it for a long time yet.

Comment by Bazza

You love the tube?! That’s more shocking than some UK government members suggesting I might be back on it in a months time. Even if we are allowed to, I’m not sure I’m going to until I know for sure it’s not just commerce calculating a few deaths isn’t as bad as a few drops in the stock market.

Comment by Rob

There is no way you didn’t eat more crap over easter than you usually do. Especially the new low standards that quarantine has set. Be grateful you’re in London, if you were in LA you’d be eating even worse. There’s people in California that are going crazy they’ve not had a kale smoothie in weeks.

Comment by Bazza

I ate the same amount of chocolate as I have been in the weeks I’ve been working at home. Unfortunately, that is a huge amount of chocolate.

Comment by George

My answer is the same as George’s answer.

Though it is less about chocolate and more about crisps. Specifically Quavers and Mini Cheddars.

I’ve finally reached peak-English.

Comment by Rob

No Frazzles or Monster Munch?

Comment by George

Nope.

I did have some Nik Naks a few weeks ago … and I got called a crisp snob when I suggested they were high-quality, b-grade crisps.

Me … a snob. With crisps.

I don’t know if I’ve ever felt prouder. Hahahaha.

Comment by Rob

you are a fucking snob campbell. its just your taste is fucking terrible.

Comment by andy@cynic

Can you please stop romanticising the tube. I have just had to counter my mind running off with itself by forcing memories of a packed northern line in summer. No one could move their heads in that environment let alone open a bottle of plonk.

Comment by George

You can’t be as bad as Rob. He wrote this BEFORE lockdown.

Comment by Bazza

God, you’re right Baz. That’s even scarier

Comment by Rob

A few weeks ago, I overheard some theatregoers wondering where that weird staring homeless guy had gone.

Comment by John

the homeless guy with the fucking expensive watch that makes him look like he fucking stole it. that homeless guy?

Comment by andy@cynic

Well I wear a shitty g-shock these days …

Though I do still have that watch and an Apple one I got Baz to actually get me in a moment of extreme tiredness. [Him, not me]

Comment by Rob

thats fucking even more typical of you campbell. loaded but want to look like a fucking loser. you pull it off very fucking well though.

Comment by andy@cynic

I bet it’s a gshock with every gadget ever made.

Comment by DH

I wonder if it has a flask attachment that will tell Rob what he’s drinking?

Comment by Bazza




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