Busy

`Anything from the trolley?` Shouted the porter.

If he asks that fucking question one more time I’m going to stick that trolley where the sun doesn’t shine.

The 9.45 from Edinburgh Waverly to London Kings Cross was running late as usual and Dave Kirk was getting more agitated with every slow… shunt… stop.

The meeting was scheduled for 4.00pm and it was now 3.45.

The tannoy hissed into life again. The nasal annunciation sounded as monotonous as the journey.

`East Coast rail would like to apologize for the disruption of service. We should be arriving at Kings Cross in approximately 20 minutes. We hope this is not too much of an inconvenience to you. Thank you for travelling with East Coast Rail, and we do hope you will travel with us again.`

`Not fucking likely` thought Dave as the intonation ceased.

Looking back through the window at the endless array of ploughed fields and bovine herds Dave caught the reflection of a face staring directly at him. The seating area in the immediate vicinity of the carriage had been empty, Dave was sure of this; but right here, now, at this very instant, was a face of a man reflected in the glass staring unashamedly at the back of Dave’s head. Dave turned to face the form.

The man, grinning, just kept on staring.

Small in stature, ruddy cheeked, with an aquiline feature, wearing a suit made of worsted yarn, threadbare around the cuffs and collar. Sporting a fedora type hat, and smiling, smirking, staring… staring, directly at Dave.

`Top of the morning to you Dave!  The man suddenly remarked. O my mistake it’s afternoon already, I really am losing me marbles, too much potcheen me thinks`.

`Good afternoon. Spluttered Dave. But how did…`

`…I know your name`, interrupted the man,` nodding knowingly toward the head rest behind Dave.

`Your booking ticket, I have an eye for the detail you know, little bits of information like that can tell you a lot about a person. Keep an eye on the detail and the bigger picture will become clear. Well, that’s what my dear old mother used to say god rest her soul`. The man blessed himself with priest like finesse.

`Were you in another carriage? Dave retorted, I thought I was sitting here on my own, I never noticed anyone getting on or off since; since York I think.`

`Och Dave! replied the man. I been with you the entire journey, you just haven’t noticed me before. Too busy with your electric envelope thing and that black tile you press to your ear every minute or two. Busy, busy, busy. That’s the nature of the beast today, busy, busy, busy.`

 `O, you mean my phone? Yes it does keep me occupied now and then.` Replied Dave smiling.

`Now and then, now and then! Exclaimed the man. O come on Dave me boy, that little box of horrors is permanently pressed toward your lug, listening intently for your next set of commands and orders. Your entire life is run by electronics and machinery Dave, you need your phone and your laptop more than you need your wife and kids, more than you need your mother or father, your `busy` life is run by technology and your actual life is flittering by, flittering by Dave like the Mayfly. Except the Mayfly has a purpose Dave, your busy life has none; no rasion d’etre. You are consumed by the media Dave, cd’s, dvd’s, purile soaps, consumerism, flippant pastimes, gym’s, looking good, DIY, Sunday Dave is no longer spent with HIM Dave, no no no, it’s spent in superstores planning the patio, selecting the barbecue, choosing the material for curtains, picking the wallpaper, matching the correct shade, busy, busy, busy, very very busy.    

Would you like me to let you into a little secret Dave? This train never makes it to Kings Cross Dave, this journey ends just before Clapham Junction Dave.. this train and the  4. O’clock from Paddington to Milton Keynes meet Dave, they meet suddenly Dave, all at once and they don’t slow… shunt… stop before it Dave. O no, they meet head on Dave and at that meeting Dave you and all the other passengers will shout for him Dave, will pray to him Dave will send their heart toward him Dave and you will realise in an instant an infinitesimal minute minuscule instant that being busy Dave is not the answer, being busy Dave is being BUSY Dave… busy Dave… Being Under Satans Yoke do you hear me Dave his yolk, his yolk his yolk his yolk…`

Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… beep. the mobile phone alarm was buzzing, buzzing ...

`Dave…Dave, come on Dave, said the voice, come on Dave wake up for god sake.`

Dave Kirk’s wife was looming over him. `Dave for Christ’s sake will you get up?`

`O shit am I late? I had, the weirdest dream, I was on a tra…

`Never mind all that, spluttered his wife. Get up! The Taxi’s booked for 8, you have a train to catch and an extremely busy day ahead of you.`