Remember the story of The Prodigal Son? He was lost but later was found again.
At 4.35pm yesterday afternoon I was sitting on a yellow saltbox at the very end of a station platform. The station in question was at Langley Mill in Derbyshire. I was sitting on the saltbox because at this unmanned station there are no benches. Not one.
I was the only traveller waiting for the 16.38 train to Sheffield having just undertaken an invigorating twelve mile walk. I looked down the track and saw my train approaching - a couple of minutes earlier than expected. I gathered up my things, stuffing them into my rucksack before hurrying along the platform to board the two carriage local train.
The whistle went and the train pulled away from Langley Mill as I flopped into a vacant seat ready to read another chapter of "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" by Heather Morris.
It was only as we approached Chesterfield that I discovered I had left my camera on the yellow saltbox at Langley Mill. Oh no! I berated myself for my stupidity. I thought of all the pictures I had taken during the day and started to anticipate the costly purchase of a replacement camera. What a fool! Oh woe is me!
I crossed the threshold of our house at 6pm, having already decided to immediately drive back to Langley Mill. I expected that the camera would have disappeared by the time I got there but at least I could tape a plea for its return to the saltbox.
Just after seven o'clock I plodded back up the ramp to the west platform of Langley Mill Station and again walked to the very end of it. And there - oh glory of glories - sitting on top of the saltbox for all the world to see was my beloved Sony bridge camera! Joy to the world! A grin spread across my puddingish face and if I knew how to dance a jig I would have performed one there and then.
My camera was lost but is found again! I got back to our house at eight o'clock and shared the good news with my long-suffering spouse who had kindly prepared me a vegan evening meal with slices of pork loin on the side. As you can imagine, it was a day of mixed emotions.
Haha vegan with pork on the side!
ReplyDeleteI'm very pleased you found your camera, it's not often anyone gets lucky that way.
Prodigal actually means extravagant spending so probably very inappropriate to your camera !
That's the kind of vegan meal I prefer. It's the same with Sunday dinners.
DeleteGood camera, waiting for you.
ReplyDeleteI patted him and gave him a biscuit.
DeleteYou're one lucky Pudding!
ReplyDeleteVegan meal with a side of pork loin? Hahaha!
Maybe I should change the title of this blog to Lucky Pudding!
DeleteI hate to be pedantic. Actually that's an untruth. It's simply a case of do as you would be done by. Was the Sony actually lost? You knew where it was the whole time. Whatever, I'm really pleased for you.
ReplyDeleteHate to be pedantic? No way Graham! You're like me - you love to be pedantic.
DeleteWhenever something like that happens to me I always feel as if the universe has given me a little blessing. Not that I believe in such things but still. You know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI do know what you mean MM. For half a second I believed in God.
DeleteYou must have been distraught when you realised what you had done. Thank goodness it was still there. The vegan meal with pork is funny.
ReplyDeleteI was distraught but I swear I didn't cry Sue!
DeleteI know that feeling when your heart sinks and you realize what has happened! It sounds like that was not a very active station and possibly no one had even come by to see your camera. I'm glad you were able to go back immediately and retrieve it!
ReplyDeleteYes. Very few people use that station and I doubt that many of them venture to the very end of the platform.
DeleteThat would have been gone here in wicked Brighton, lol
ReplyDeleteI am waiting in line on Borrowbox for "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" hope its not too gruesome. We must have communicated via the waves about what book to read, lol
Briony
x
We have a telepathic understanding Briony! Like Bonnie and Clyde.
DeleteI know that feeling of great relief finding something valuable I thought was lost (my pocket purse containing my whole life, three times within several months, which is more stupidity than forgetfulness, and has been since remedied) . . . how lucky your camera was still there. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI very rarely mislay anything. As soon as I realised, I was beating myself up inside.
DeleteTremendous highs and lows. I really get upset when I lose something. since it was a small station there may not have been any passengers use it since you left.
ReplyDeleteI think there would have been some passengers but there was no need for any of them to visit the very end of the platform.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete