It has come to my attention that even in the supposedly grumpy and private city of Londinium, almost nobody knows how to correctly conduct themselves on the train. So out of the goodness of my heart, I have decided to educate you all. Anyone caught in violation of these rules will be hung, drawn and quartered. Thanks in advance.
1. Do not talk to anyone. You are vastly mistaken if you think that anybody wants to hold a conversation with you or hear about your grandchildren. And no, we do not require anything from the vastly overpriced bar, unless you are offering to pay. In which case you will be condemned to the sector of society known affectionately as the ‘creeps’.
2. The Telegraph? Forget it. Get the fucking Times, or another edition of your favourite newspaper that comes in a train friendly model. Do you really think that we want your sweaty flannel-shirted armpits reaching across us, raffling, rattling and unfolding every friggen page, just so that you can have something mildly interesting to say at Mrs Swandicotes dinner party? Fuck off, and get an iphone like everyone else, and read the bloomin news on that. Broadsheets, (cue family fortunes noise), EEEH EEH.
3. There are some people who like to travel on the trains with such novel inventions called laptops. Why these were not named PERSONAL PORTABLE COMPUTERS I do not know, for recently a large amount of people travelling on the train seem to think that they can just move their eyes glazed with routine over to my laptop, and stare like a pervert. It’s my film, or my document, or my own personal realisation that The Sims is the best game in the world (yes, you can burn them) and I certainly do not wish your uneducated eye to sit there and judge me. How would you like it if I was reading your fricking book? By the way, Jilly Cooper is ridiculously banal, so do not try and culturally educate yourself by watching me dick around on Ubuntu. Thanks in advance.
4. The armrest. The fucking armrest. If you wish to place your arm on this conveniently placed piece of, well, placement, KEEP IT TO YOUR SIDE. Lots of people also use this as a divider, a reminder to the stranger on your right that there are various violations of personal space that could happen, and to politely remind you to consider what these could possibly be. If I feel your elbow in my side, I will ask you to move. At which you will look disconcerted, and slightly taken aback that your elbows innocent invasion has caused so much offense. At which time I will take the liberty to point out that unless you are paralysed, you do actually have full control over every single aspect of your body, and y’know, those little things called nerve endings. So kindly back the fuck off, then you don’t have to hear my dull, isolated, utterly full of contempt contrite remarks as to how you are a moron. After that, feel free to resume thinking about the contents of your husbands dinner, and how happy you are that Amanda finally returned that pesky stapler.
5. Mobile phones are possibly the biggest technological devolvement that is detrimental to our society. If you’re travelling on the train, put the damn thing on silent. They all have silent modes, if you don’t know how to put this into place on your chosen device then you shouldn’t fucking have one. I do not want to hear the damn ‘Nokia Tone’, or whatever shite Tinchy Stryder’s producer has recently developed blazing out of your handbag as you struggle to find it. Are pockets obsolete? Certainly not. My next guide will be to the appropriate use of these handy little things. PUT IT IN YOUR POCKET SO YOU CAN ANSWER IT. After having answered, keep conversation to an absolute minimum. This involves whatever business deal is going down, laughing giddily and cooing as your husband tries to make the baby/cat/granny breathe down the phone, or informing someone that they have to pick you up at Tiverton. Tell them this information once. If they can’t understand the fact that the train is getting in late/early/bang on time (pff) then they probably shouldn’t be driving. Or you probably shouldn’t be married to such a moron. Another nuisance that these hell-makers bring is the fact that spotty pre-teens think it’s hilarious to play their ringtones to each other. And don’t even think about singing along to it. There’s a reason your X Factor application got rejected, and it’s not just ‘cause you’re ugly. You wouldn’t like it if I sat here singing along to Slayer/Children of Bodom/Mr Blobby, don’t put others through the similar fate of Nessun Dorma or The Pussycat Dolls.
6. Always avoid sitting next to the person wearing copious amounts of eyeliner, who may well look like they are going to stab you. Or the person wearing copious amounts of leopard print, who has purchased a rather large quantity of alcohol. For you will get stabbed for a violation of any of the above rules, or just for falling asleep when the highly educated wine wielding wench needs to go to the pisser. Yes, I am referring to myself.
7. DON’T BREASTFEED IN THE SEATS.
8. Always avoid bringing children on the train. Unless it’s absolutely necessary. Which it’s not, for you should either get some more friends to help babysit, or just GET A FUCKING CAR YOU LAYABOUTS. If they are on the train, don’t forget to bring their straitjackets. Never let them run up the carriage, nor take them for walks, nor try and teach them how to do their puzzle books. How are they going to learn if they don’t figure it out for themselves? Dot to dots simply aren’t challenging, unless of course you’re in the Sahara. And if you haven’t taught them to read? Well time is of the essence, and I suggest you get on it, it’s a skill they’ll probably have to learn at some point. The earlier the better, then you can leave their upbringing in the capable hands of The Anarchists Cookbook.
9. You don’t need crisps. Nobody needs crisps. Nor is there anything worse than sitting next to a crisp wielding fatso in previous violation of the personal space thing. Yes, I know they make a crunching sound, KINDLY MUFFLE IT BY CLOSING YOUR FUCKING GOB. For the uneducated, Tyrells ‘posh’ (aka organically grown therefore trod on by cows) crisps smell, and crunch, just the same as Monster munch. Stop being a ponce and just get Walkers. NB; For all crisp manufacturers, stop making ridiculously meaty crisps that stink worse than Jade Goody’s buried snatch.
10. If I can hear the music even when you are correctly wearing headphones, I still don’t want to.
11. Never underestimate the power of deodorant.
12. Being 13, is not, will not, and has never been cool. Please don't bring attention to this fact by taking 'hilarious riiiite?' photos of your current best friend from Geography on the train. I know her face IS hilarious, but she's definitely not going to appreciate those photos on Facebook when she's out of the emo/spotty/cunt phase. And I certainly do not appreciate those awful pig squeals coming out of a mouth reinforced with six foot steel girders.
13. You're all cunts.
All in all, I wish you a pleasant future on public transport.