so i finished my maths exam at festival hall (went alright, compared to my normal maths efforts) and walked the bajillion miles to southern cross via bumfuck nowhere - then i decided that i would go and try my luck at crown, so i trammed with myki (worked fine) down there. lost $30, had some nice chinese food then walked over to flinders, picking up a sydney mytrain ticket from the ground on the way - all before walking directly onto the 6:50 train to belgrave, leaving a minute after.

i sat on my own at the window of a 6 seat section, soon to be joined by 2 indian girls, their male indian friend and their packet of chips. a station or 2 after, a bloke in a high visibility orange vest enters and sits opposite an english guy in the group of 4 seats on the other side of the aisle to my group.

the orange vested man asked the indian group for some chips, revealing to all around how he had had a few brews before entering the train. they obliged and vest man seemed content.

one of the indian girls rested by putting her head in her hands leaning on her knees. the vested man was urging me to knee her to see if she was still alive, the other indian people and i were assuring him that she was fine and just felt a little sick.

english man’s leg brushed against vested man’s leg, an act not uncommon on melbourne’s close seating arrangements. the vested man asked the english guy whether he was a fagot or not, or if the english guy believed he was a fagot (his words). both got angered by this, spuring the vested man to inform the english guy he was intending on implanting the pen he was holding into the english guy’s neck. this courtesy was extended to the indian man too, along with the offer to burn his turban.

the english man and the vested continued jibing until the english man got off at camberwell, at this point i got up and moved to the next carrage, placing myself near the door so i could monitor the friendly indians and call for help if needed.

as i watched through the window, i noted the vested man was up on his feet, but still crouched over his seat, abusing the people around him.

I had had enough - i concluded that i would attempt to end it before it went further. I pushed the emergency button.

it started ringing and beeping a little, then scilence - i waited a bit, explaining to the guy next to me “the guy in the next carrage was offering death threats” as he looked puzzled as to why i pressed it. when the driver answered i told him about the threats - he seemed appreciative.

i turned back to see vested man walking up the aisle to a random young asian man, pick him up by his shirt and punch him in the head - i can only assume he was telling him to leave the indian people alone. they ended up on the ground in a sort of scuffle, this only a meters from 2 crying children and their father.

the driver put over an announcement that the train was delayed because the police had been called.

the vested man left the train and began walking towards the driver’s cabin - on the recommendation of another passenger i pressed the button again and told the driver he was out. the driver then closed the doors and left the station, leaving him behind on the end of the platform with the police on their way.

after talking with the other passenger agreeing with his displease at evening trains and that there should be guards, i opened the door and chatted with a bloke walking back to his seat who i saw talking to the indian group, another indian guy who was barraged and the children. he said they were all fine. a few minutes later i went back through and sat with the indian group, talking with them and the other indian guy about the guy, agreeing when asked if he has been drinking.

the remainder of the journey was rather tame :P

what a start to the blog, till next time, :)