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Train Conductor Embarrasses Sucky Passenger
This weekend, Mrs. Shirts and I took Little Shirts on a train ride. It was one of those scenic trips through the hills just for fun. It was a pretty good ride. Little Shirts had a great time, though he fell asleep on the return trip about 20 minutes before we reached the station.
Our conductor was great, and he had a story to tell.
On this train, there were two cars: a kind of "coach" class and the "dome" car. The coach class car (where we were) was older and only had one level. The dome car was much newer and had a dome for a window at the top, offering better views. Of course, the dome car was more expensive. We rode coach. 'Cause we're cheap like that.
Toward the end of the trip, the guy acting as the train's conductor (his job seemed to be ticket taker, tour guide, and passenger entertainer) handed out comment cards and pens and encouraged all of us to write about what we thought. A little later, he came back to collect them and stopped at our table to socialize a bit. Having apparently noticed that everyone in the coach car was happy and pleased with the experience, I guess he thought he could open up a little.
Conductor (to me and Mrs. Shirts): You know, I like to open these comment cards and read them right when I get them. I see them eventually anyway, so why not, right?
(Not knowing this company's management structure, I gave a casual agreement.)
Conductor: I especially like to do it when I know the passenger is grumpy about something, and I can usually tell because they fold the card like they don't want me to see it. When they do that, I'll open it up right in front of them, read it, and then comment about it, like, "You didn't like the brunch? WHY?"
(We laughed and commiserated about grumpy people.)
Conductor: I had one just a couple minutes ago in the dome car. This guy was a grouch from the get-go. Like, he got on the train already complaining. I read his comment card right in front of him. You know what his biggest complaint was? "I had to walk across a parking lot to get to the train."
(We laughed again.)
Conductor: I'm thinking, "Well, yeah, it's a train! We can't exactly bring it to you, wherever you happen to be at that moment." But what I really said was, "Oh, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with that. We'll see what we can do about getting some parking spaces on the boarding platform or maybe right inside the station." Yeah, I don't think he likes me very much right now.
Great conversation. I wanted to tell him about this site, but I didn't get a chance.
Our conductor was great, and he had a story to tell.
On this train, there were two cars: a kind of "coach" class and the "dome" car. The coach class car (where we were) was older and only had one level. The dome car was much newer and had a dome for a window at the top, offering better views. Of course, the dome car was more expensive. We rode coach. 'Cause we're cheap like that.
Toward the end of the trip, the guy acting as the train's conductor (his job seemed to be ticket taker, tour guide, and passenger entertainer) handed out comment cards and pens and encouraged all of us to write about what we thought. A little later, he came back to collect them and stopped at our table to socialize a bit. Having apparently noticed that everyone in the coach car was happy and pleased with the experience, I guess he thought he could open up a little.
Conductor (to me and Mrs. Shirts): You know, I like to open these comment cards and read them right when I get them. I see them eventually anyway, so why not, right?
(Not knowing this company's management structure, I gave a casual agreement.)
Conductor: I especially like to do it when I know the passenger is grumpy about something, and I can usually tell because they fold the card like they don't want me to see it. When they do that, I'll open it up right in front of them, read it, and then comment about it, like, "You didn't like the brunch? WHY?"
(We laughed and commiserated about grumpy people.)
Conductor: I had one just a couple minutes ago in the dome car. This guy was a grouch from the get-go. Like, he got on the train already complaining. I read his comment card right in front of him. You know what his biggest complaint was? "I had to walk across a parking lot to get to the train."
(We laughed again.)
Conductor: I'm thinking, "Well, yeah, it's a train! We can't exactly bring it to you, wherever you happen to be at that moment." But what I really said was, "Oh, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with that. We'll see what we can do about getting some parking spaces on the boarding platform or maybe right inside the station." Yeah, I don't think he likes me very much right now.
Great conversation. I wanted to tell him about this site, but I didn't get a chance.
How lazy can you get? XD
) idling away at one of the platforms. 30-plus years on..I still remember a couple of things. How *big* and *loud* those trains were!
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