The 12A and 12C run from South Devon College in Paignton to St Marychurch except that every half hour they run to Teignmouth. This little difference can cause a slight problem. The buses that go to Marychurch turn left into Manor Road and round to The Chilcote Memorial and wait time there. Passengers can go round the corner and get of in Manor Road and even, if they are perverse enough continue round to the Chilcote Memorial. I say perverse because it is much quicker to walk the 100 yards up the main road than take the 3/4 mile trip round the narrow back roads with a big chance of getting stuck between oncoming traffic and parked cars. The buses that go to Teignmouth don't take this round the houses trip, they go straight up the main road. Herein lies the problem. The next bus stop. It is a mile up the road. So in order to save some unwary traveller having to walk a mile back in the pouring rain I stop at Marychurch and after everyone who wants to get off had done so I stick my head round the bulkhead and shout loudly, "This is the last stop for Marychurch." Someone usually comes running up and asks, "Don't you turn left into Manor Road." No Sorry.
Well today was slightly different. Passengers were trying to get on before the disembarking passengers had got of so I asked then to wait a moment, then I shouted, "Last stop for Marychurch." One of the passengers getting on then wanted to know when the Teignmouth bus was coming, I explained I was the Teignmouth bus and she said I had said this was the last stop. I explained I had said, "Last stop for Marychurch." She then tried to get on while passengers were still getting on. Another waiting passenger then came up and demanded to know when the 17:45 to Teignmouth was coming. Again, "I am the Teignmouth bus." He said, " Why did you say it was the last stop?" I repeated that I had said "Last stop for Marychurch." Mean while the last of the disembarking passengers had managed to get of including a couple who had been sitting half way down the bus who asked, "Don't you turn left then, all the other buses do?" I explained that the Teignmouth bus doesn't turn left but goes straight on along the main road. Then the guy from the back seat with the iPod turned up and asked don't you go to Teignmouth? How he had heard me above the sound coming from his earphones is beyond me but I reassured him we were going to Teignmouth. He put his earphones, his well padded earphones, back on and return to his seat at the back of the bus and with everyone sitting down and me exhausted from explaining that the bus didn't turn left into Manor Rd but did go to Teignmouth so many times I set of. Much to the relief of the 200 or so cars that had built up behind me. As I went past the end of the road where the Chilcote Memorial stands a tiny thought entered my head,it went something like this, I bet there is someone on this bus that wants the Chilcote Memorial. Hands up those who had the same thought. Those with their hands up take a bow. The man sitting on the front seat suddenly jumped up and said, "I wanted the Chilcote Memorial." Actually he said a lot more than that but I try not to include swear words in this blog, I only use swear word on the subject of bus engines left running. (That's the subject of Story Three). Anyway the man who wanted the Chilcote Memorial got off at Pavor Rd in time to walk the 200yds up the road to the bus stop on the other side of the road to catch the bus back to Marychurch, just.
What he said to me when he got off the bus is, "You are a................................" What I said was, "Have a nice day"
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