Peter Pan on Ice

Tyler wanted to go to see Peter Pan on Ice at the Grand Opera House and bring her mates Abbey and Kirsty so I got the tickets on-line. Kirsty’s lovely mum Eileen delivered the kids and picked them up from the good old and dilapidated Ballymoney Railway Station.

On the day of the event I slept in. Not enough to warrant the husband harassing me to near insanity to get in the shower even though Nick was there giving him a hand by washing the windows and I had to hang out the bathroom window in my dressing gown to say hello and shoot the breeze. Nick is lovely. His brother Simon was so scared he would end up mentioned in the best newspaper ever that when I first met him he told me he was Nicholas. Ha! Ha! Squeak shopped him. That’s his dad by the way. The one who calls his phone Mary Jane! No wonder the lads are confused. Imagine a rugby player scared of a little peep like me? He will never live it down. I will make sure of that.   

Meanwhile back at the ranch. The husband got to the point where he wanted to drag me out half dressed. He would rather be an hour early than live life on the edge where you get a buzz from catching trains by the skin of your teeth. We had plenty of time but people who are time conscious are rather up tight. I don’t wear a watch. I haven’t done in years. Time watching can do your heed in. Deadlines can become more important than spending time in good company. Wonder who thought up that term? It is worth thinking about.

I shoved whatever I could grab into my handbag and shouted goodbye to Nick. Half way to the station the husband asks if I brought the tickets for Peter Pan. No need to tell you I hadn’t!

When I told Eileen as she relinquished the kids into my care she looked as if she should drag them back.

We made it to The Big Smoke. Stuffed ourselves at Subway and bought enough sweets and drinks to last a Girls Brigade outfit. Eileen popped in to check we were OK. Bless her.

The gals at the Opera House ticket office were really lovely and re-printed the tickets. The Abbey doll is afraid of lifts so I had to walk them up to The Gods. Thought I was going to expire. The arthritic knees were grinding and creaking. The Gods is really high up and Abbey, high on an energy drink wanted to know if she could climb over the rail. I thought I was going to have to tie her down. They really enjoyed the Russian Ice Skaters. Their wee faces were lit up and after the show they were all talking at once, much to the delight of people around us. There is nothing quite as rewarding as a happy young person.

We were able to get a seat for four on the 17.10 train from Great Victoria Street. So many people got on at Central that there weren’t enough seats. I gave mine to a lovely man called James and he managed the girls like an old hand. James said he didn’t know the time passing. Such a lovely man and I hope we meet again. Ring Lyle and get my phone number honey.

So now to the moaning! Some mums and their young children were in the same carriage. The mum with the youngest had left her pram at the only place she could which was next to the door on the track side that wouldn’t be opened. The conductor came along and told her she couldn’t leave it there. I helped her lift part of it onto the rack. In my opinion it was more of a health and safety risk teetering up there. It could have fallen on someone. She folded the rest up and we tried to push it between the seats but it wouldn’t fit so she set it up against the side of the non-access point. The other people in the carriage could not believe that a nursing mother would be forced to do this. The same conductor told two girls who sat down opposite the pram that they had to stand. Shame on you guys at Translink. Has it not twigged that you need more carriages at rush hour? The Tall Ships debacle hasn’t taught you a thing. And the government want us to use public transport. Where are the facilities for storing prams? If someone can’t stand any longer and sits down on the floor are they going to be turfed off? Were the mum and her baby and pram going to follow? Do you get a discount if you don’t get a seat? I think not!