Monday, May 10, 2004
Everywhere You Go...
Had I sat in one place at lunchtime instead of wandering around campus, I would have run the risk of acquiring a touch of sunburn, such was the heat in Exeter. The sky was blue, the sun was up, the prunes were dented, something something. At half past four I sat in the sun and ate a banana. And then, at quarter past five, I walked out of the back door to be greeted by deluge. Billy had wandered down from his kennel to watch it, such was the power and noise. It was biblical; I’ve not seen rain like it in years. Stocker Road was a stream of rain water, and students, dressed for the morning sun, were rushing, sodden, flip flops in hands, bare legs stung by bullets of rain, towards whatever shelter they could. I gawped at the pleu and swore; Billy offered to lend me an umbrella so I could walk to the station.
At the bottom of Prince Of Wales Road, at the junction with New North Road opposite The Imperial pub, it was like the Somme. Well, probably not. I wouldn’t know anyway; I’m 24. But it was as if the storm drains had blown – the whole road was flooded, cars were trawling through the filthy water slowly, churning huge waves across the pavement, which was almost ankle-deep anyway at some points. In order to avoid getting trenchfoot, I had to jump up onto a wall, clamber around a pillar, and then walk along a slippery, curved-topped wall for a good 25 feet, arms outstretched like a tightrope walker. I then had to jump down and immediately spring back across the last gloomy, churning puddle of filth before it lapped my already sodden feet and ruined the leather on my poncey Art shoes.
And then when I did get to the station I’d missed the train by about a minute. I could see it about 200 yards down the track. Fucker.
NJS
5/10/2004 07:47:00 pm
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