Weegies
Glasgow is full of some wonderful people. I was inspired to write this post on the bus tonight, this (kinda posh) man got on and warned me that the next guy "wasn't doing to well", he was incredibly drunk or worse and it was nice to be warned incase he was violent. This got me thinking of all the small encounters I've had or witnessed, that have helped me maintain my faith in humanity and that I've not forgotten. Most of these encounters have happened at bus stops or on the bus...
About four years ago I was on the bus going home, I was minding my own business when this man sat next to me and started up a conversation, now I don't mind that but he was drunk and being slightly creepy. I was trapped by the window and felt it would be too rude/obvious if I moved seats as he seemed pretty harmless and I didn't want to make a big deal of anything. There was a woman sitting in front of me, maybe five/six years older than me, she held up her phone in a way that I could see it and on the screen it said "want me to pretend I know you?", I nodded. She instantly turned round and pretended to know me from a few years back, she told me to move and sit next to her and we chatted as if we knew each other ( from Strathclyde, different courses but some mutual friends). The guy kept trying to talk to me and she would just be like, do you mind I'm trying to catch up with my friend. Luckily he got off before either of us, the instant he did, we properly introduced ourselves to a round of applause from the other passengers. She went out her way to help me, when she could of sat there awkwardly listening to his terrible banter, he could of snapped or gotten aggressive but she decided to help out a teenage slightly-unsure-of-herself girl.
You always here of people being crushed or trampled at gigs (ok not always but sometimes). The majority of gigs i've gone to in Glasgow, if someone falls over (even in a mosh pit) everyone around them stops and helps them out. I've also seen bands stop playing to make sure people are ok.
In 2007, I was waiting on a bus with my then boyfriend, it was very late (or very early depending on your point of view) I was 16, it was a cold and busy night in the heart of Glasgow. This man came up to wait for the bus too, we ended up chatting to him, turned out he was an off duty cop. He was very nice and concerned we were out so late so he said we should all share a taxi as we were going in the same direction, he only wanted £1 from each of us even though we got a black cab that would of cost a small fortune.
The helicopter crash (into the Clutha bar in Glasgow) would of ended up with far more casualties if it hadn't been for the people who ran towards the crash (instead of away from it) to help pull people out of the wreckage.
When I had my placement in a&e a man came in with a minor stab injury that he received trying to stop another guy from being stabbed to death (I think it was a mate)
Hogmanay in 2010 I was going out with my bestie in the west end but was going to get ready at hers (she lived ages away from me). I was already to go, was on the bus, talking to her on the phone when I realised I didn't have any ID on me. I decided to jump off the bus (at the next stop, I wasn't that desperate). I didn't have any cash on me for another ticket and was a 30 minute walk from mine, with no ATMs about. Just before I got off the bus the driver printed me an all day ticket so I could rush home to pick up my passport.
I can think of more small acts of kindness I have witnessed, like making sure people lying on the street are ok, not just assuming they are wasted and even if they are still offering help. I have seen people helping out with groceries when the person in front of them was short (of money not height-wise). I have witnessed so much that it would be too much to list.
About four years ago I was on the bus going home, I was minding my own business when this man sat next to me and started up a conversation, now I don't mind that but he was drunk and being slightly creepy. I was trapped by the window and felt it would be too rude/obvious if I moved seats as he seemed pretty harmless and I didn't want to make a big deal of anything. There was a woman sitting in front of me, maybe five/six years older than me, she held up her phone in a way that I could see it and on the screen it said "want me to pretend I know you?", I nodded. She instantly turned round and pretended to know me from a few years back, she told me to move and sit next to her and we chatted as if we knew each other ( from Strathclyde, different courses but some mutual friends). The guy kept trying to talk to me and she would just be like, do you mind I'm trying to catch up with my friend. Luckily he got off before either of us, the instant he did, we properly introduced ourselves to a round of applause from the other passengers. She went out her way to help me, when she could of sat there awkwardly listening to his terrible banter, he could of snapped or gotten aggressive but she decided to help out a teenage slightly-unsure-of-herself girl.
You always here of people being crushed or trampled at gigs (ok not always but sometimes). The majority of gigs i've gone to in Glasgow, if someone falls over (even in a mosh pit) everyone around them stops and helps them out. I've also seen bands stop playing to make sure people are ok.
In 2007, I was waiting on a bus with my then boyfriend, it was very late (or very early depending on your point of view) I was 16, it was a cold and busy night in the heart of Glasgow. This man came up to wait for the bus too, we ended up chatting to him, turned out he was an off duty cop. He was very nice and concerned we were out so late so he said we should all share a taxi as we were going in the same direction, he only wanted £1 from each of us even though we got a black cab that would of cost a small fortune.
The helicopter crash (into the Clutha bar in Glasgow) would of ended up with far more casualties if it hadn't been for the people who ran towards the crash (instead of away from it) to help pull people out of the wreckage.
When I had my placement in a&e a man came in with a minor stab injury that he received trying to stop another guy from being stabbed to death (I think it was a mate)
Hogmanay in 2010 I was going out with my bestie in the west end but was going to get ready at hers (she lived ages away from me). I was already to go, was on the bus, talking to her on the phone when I realised I didn't have any ID on me. I decided to jump off the bus (at the next stop, I wasn't that desperate). I didn't have any cash on me for another ticket and was a 30 minute walk from mine, with no ATMs about. Just before I got off the bus the driver printed me an all day ticket so I could rush home to pick up my passport.
I can think of more small acts of kindness I have witnessed, like making sure people lying on the street are ok, not just assuming they are wasted and even if they are still offering help. I have seen people helping out with groceries when the person in front of them was short (of money not height-wise). I have witnessed so much that it would be too much to list.
Glasgow was voted the friendliest city the same week it was announced to be the stab capital of Europe (so you might get stabbed but people will help you out afterwards).
I am going to miss Glasgow and its occupants when I leave, I know there are kind people everywhere, but I have never been in a city as friendly, where it is not (too) weird to find out someones life history while waiting for the bus, or hugging a depressed alcoholic who decided to wait with you for your bus as he had no-one and needed a bit of a chat.
I am going to miss Glasgow and its occupants when I leave, I know there are kind people everywhere, but I have never been in a city as friendly, where it is not (too) weird to find out someones life history while waiting for the bus, or hugging a depressed alcoholic who decided to wait with you for your bus as he had no-one and needed a bit of a chat.
Glasgae's naw a bad place afta all.
Comments
Post a Comment