Friday, 22 June 2012

Betty's Secret Diary - Friday, 22nd June 1950


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!



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.

Georgia Dress Peach


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