After several passes through, around, under and across the massive Waterloo Station, we found ourselves on a ramp that seemed to indicate an exit but deposited us instead at the entry to a light rail train. On duty beside a card pass reader a train employee reminded passersby to touch up their cards before boarding.
“Excuse me, we’re looking for a bus station, bus station H?” I asked with hesitation and a slightly soft-toned high-pitch of innocent confusion I reserve for transportation workers who really do not have to help me at all.
“Hmmm. Do you know where the bus station is?” he asked the fellow rail employee beside him.
“If you go down these stairs, then take the first exit to your right . . .” she directed us. “But let me check on that, I’ll go with you.”
Although I tried to insist that her general instructions should put us in the right direction, she wouldn’t hear of it.
“I just don’t know the buses well. I’m just off work now and heading home on the train”
This, of course, made me feel even guiltier, only to be followed by even stupider when she walked with me to the information desk –which I had not seen before — as if I were a school child led by the hand.
And so it was with the kind assistance of at least four different transportation employees that we made our way to the H bus stop to catch our ride.
Stranger still was that this was not an isolated incident.
On a previous excursion we had failed to properly tap our Oyster Cards on entry and were charged nearly three times the fare upon exiting. I was incredulous as my husband insisted we wait in line for the tube information and help window to rectify the situation.
“What? Is she just going to take our word? Give us the dumb-ass discount?”
In fact, that is just what she did. She was a round lady with a great smile, and she warned us like a loving aunt.
“Oh, yes, you must make sure you tap your card or they will charge you the highest rate!”
And in less than sixty seconds, she had refunded the excess fare to our Oyster Cards.
General friendliness is sadly a pleasant surprise these days, particularly in a busy city. But coming from transportation workers? Even off-the-clock transportation workers?
It all became clear after the fact, when I read this:
London Underground operates the tube system, as part of Transport for London; they have nearly 13,000 employees. Their Stress Plan was initially developed as a pro-active health initiative to focus on reducing the organisation’s stress-related losses. Not only has it achieved this aim, but has benefited their employees by providing a model of health intervention, including time management, optimum physical health – including diet and exercise, work/life balance, relaxation, relationships at work and at home and personal responsibility and decision making.
If I have ever witnessed a more random but convincing proof of success for an employee program, I cannot recall it. If these were not — on average — the most genuinely happy employees around, I can not imagine it.
Our last case in point came as we were departing the city and picking up our Oyster Card deposit and refund. The gentleman behind the glass beside ours began a regular comedy routine with a Scottish woman just arrived in London. She too was quick with a wry retort.
“I’m just a foreign lady in a strange country.”
Number 2 on the list directed me to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. One of my delights here is the gorgeous produce. Today’s market run alone provided a billowing head of lettuce, crisp endive, lean leeks, tiny tight Brussels sprouts and shiny clementines. I could also endure vegetarian entrees (at home) and whole grains are delivered every breakfast and lunch in the form of fabulous bread from the bakery. Three points for me.
In Belgium 