Dear Diary,
What a relief!!! I’ve arrived safely in Toddington for a much
deserved summer holiday. I’m so very lucky to take a trip to the country and
stay for a few days with my Great Aunt Matilda. Jeepers! I’m jolly lucky to
have arrived in one piece, I’ve just survived the most frightful shock!
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The train journey from London was
straightforward; enjoying the view from the window I was quite relieved to
escape from the rubble and smoke of London. The train soon arrived at Flitwick
where I had to catch a bus to Toddington. What luck! The bus had an open top
deck and it was such a breeze to ride ‘en plein air’. Every new turn in the
road revealed a picturesque vista of idyllic country landscape. Bliss! We
stopped at the quaintest village to pick up an elderly gentleman who carefully
made his way up to the top deck. He nodded to me politely before sitting down
as the bus trundled on.
After a while, the bus approached a fork in
the road where I noticed a signpost warning of a low bridge up ahead on the
left. I expected the bus to turn right but instead we continued left along the
road towards the low bridge. Just then, the elderly chap turned towards me and
yelled something that sounded like “Duck!” The rumble of the engine and the
wind whistling past my ears made it frightfully difficult to hear, so I
replied, “I beg your pardon?” The old
fellow pointed with a ghastly tobacco stained finger towards the open road
ahead “Duck Bridge!” he shouted, gesturing frantically. I was most befuddled, what on earth was the
silly man talking about? I tried to ignore him discreetly.
Suddenly the bus conductor’s head appeared
half way up the stairs, cupping his hand around his mouth to amplify his voice,
“DUCK!!!” he exclaimed. The elderly chap promptly hit the deck lying prostrate
on the floor, arms covering his head. At first I thought it was an air raid
warning but then the conductor shouted again, “DUCK!!!” waving his hands
frantically, indicating that I too should get on the floor. How absurd! Surely
enough ‘Duck Bridge’ arrived rapidly into view and I realized what all the fuss
was about! Phew!! I lowered my head just in time as the bus passed snugly under
the low bridge arch, oh my goodness! That was close!!
I was so thoroughly relieved to reach Great
Aunt Matilda’s cottage and have a strong cup of tea to calm my nerves. We sat
in the parlour and listened to the wireless. I rather enjoyed that new radio
show “The Archers” but Great Aunt
Matilda thinks it’ll never catch on.
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| Georgia Dress Peach |
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