This week I was trying to make my way through the barriers at the train station and my commuter pass stopped working: none of the machines would read it. Given my natural shyness I theatrically tried a further 50 times in an attempt to make a station employee notice me and help but it didn’t work and I had to go and start a conversation myself. If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I am rather shy and starting a conversation is not one of my strengths.
Instead of informing the staff that my card had died and asking them kindly to let me through the barrier I managed a pathetic “my thing is broken” which resulted in a look that left me in no doubt that I was a useless human being. I can deal with this because she took pity on me and let me through the barrier. I was more eloquent the second time when I changed trains and the lady even apologised to me for the fact that my card wasn’t working. Wonders never cease!
The week thus started on a bad note because I had to make a phone call to arrange for a replacement card and while I was on hold the cat started meaowing loudly right in my face. Naturally the second I started talking to the cat the woman came back on the phone and I had to explain to her that I was asking the cat what his problem was and not her. I will probably never receive a replacement card but at least she will be able to tell her coworkers about the crazy British guy who talks to cats. I fear I will always be awkward.
I am pleased to say that my week has improved considerably since then. Yesterday I spent a very nice evening at a friend’s house and on the way my wife and I stopped off at a farm and I bought the world’s smallest pumpkin. It may not actually be the world’s smallest pumpkin but is pretty tiny compared to most and it will be decorating my desk at work for the next few weeks. My desk currently looks like a mini British Embassy because is covered in tea and postcards from England and a British flag that a coworker drew while I was on vacation so this is my small attempt to Americanise my work space.
The week ended in fine fashion with a six mile hike around the Blue Hills just south of Boston. The trees are starting to change and it was beautiful so I have included a photo to share the autumnal beauty. I hope you have all had a good weekend too!
Old England to New England 
I bought a teeny pumpkin last week – I’m hoping to fashion some kind of carving so it gets ‘eaten’ by the bigger one. It’s very cute though, so I may let it live!
Haha you should let it live but if you do carve it please post a pic, it sounds like a good idea! 🙂
We grew the wold’s second smallest pumpkin in our garden this summer. The world’s biggest rat ate it. 😦
Oh no I’m sorry to hear that! I hope you had some others that weren’t eaten by rats!
Out here, there can only ever be one… Alas for the little pumpkin. But that’s okay. I took a picture. 🙂
Oooo, malfunctioning cards are a special brand of miserable. Hope you get a replacement soon. Until then, maybe they’ll let you pay in tiny pumpkins?
Haha it’s definitely worth a try! I would like to see the look on their faces. :p
What a great story. I love pumpkins, big and small. The little pumpkins are so cute. Carving one would be a treat, I have used them, not carved, to decorate and they lasted quite some time.
They are really cute. I’ve heard they last 2-3 months so this one is going to be on my desk for a while. 🙂
Wow. What a pic of that majestically-coloured pathway……love that!
It’s beautiful! More autumnal photos are on their way too. 🙂
Excellent! Autumn is MY season….I’ll be anxiously awaiting them!
I love munchkin pumpkins! I saw them at a large sainsburys a couple weeks ago and should have bought a couple as I haven’t seen them anywhere since.
Don’t feel too bad about being awkward. I nearly dropped a pound into a man’s coffee at the train station the other day. I thought he was homeless but he was just a guy sitting on the ground drinking a coffee. Cannot imagine trying to explain that one!
Haha that would have been really awkward, it’s the kind of thing I’d do too!
Wonderful shot, looks like perfect hiking country. I guess a tiny pumpkin pie would only be big enough for the hamster.
Thanks! It really is a nice place for a good hike, especially at this time of year. 🙂