16 January, 2007

Left Luggage at Kings Cross Thameslink

Mind the Gap
Funny, just as the trial starts in the case of the crown vs the 21/7 terror "suspects", so I get to Kings Cross Thameslink and see a rucksack, all on it's lonesome, left on one of the seats (situated between three men, but not really near enough to definitely belong to any of them)...I only waited a heartbeat after passing it to turn around and say "Do any of you know whose rucksack that is?", one of them visibly woke up when I addressed them (obviously having a day dream) but all three shook heads or said "Nope"...(I probably raised my eyebrows and tutted at this point) then walked all the way back down the platform again to where I knew the Customer assist window was, knocked on it, and a second or two later the door next to it opened and a head poked out. I told the guy about the left luggage and walked all the way back up the platform again, duty done, probably it was just someone being dozy, but then the prickles of doubt began to get me, a certain other incident with "left luggage" came to mind, and of course with the news of the trial being so fresh, I must admit, when I got past the rucksack, I put myself into a position whereby the force of any blast (and flying debris) on my body would be minimised. One of the guys, apparently quite unconcerned about any possible terror implications cheerily said "They'll be kicking themselves, won't they?" with a smile, and I smiled and nodded, thinking to myself, you'd be kicking yourself too if that was a bomb and it had blown your legs off while you just stood there ignoring it…has it really been that long that most people have forgotten what happened? Forgotten to be vigilant?

Anyway, a member of station staff turned up, gingerly inspected the rucksack, turned to me and said "Cheers" and then picked it up and walked off...But there *are* still idiots out there, the terror threat level is still set at a rather serious sounding "SEVERE"…so let's watch each others backs eh?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"you'd be kicking yourself too if that was a bomb and it had blown your legs off while you just stood there ignoring it"

Just wondering if that was a joke as I've been saying the same thing about Heather Mills (she must be kicking herself etc etc) since she split with Macca :-)

Unknown said...

Yeah, don't come running to me if it blows your legs off. Got it right this time. It's amazing that apathy sets in very soon after an incident.

Unknown said...

Haha...Hilarious! ;)

Gonna have to watch what I write with you two reading! :)