Dyslexic.

Yesterday I went to the train station, I told the ticket man at the window, where I would like to go and said, “What time does the off-peak end today?” He replied, “Four thirty.” I said, “I will be back well before then, as I will only be going to TKMaxx, then I will be straight back.”

I paid my fare, and the train arrived eight minutes later. I don’t usually check my tickets, but as I did, I noticed it was dated for travel on the 17th of August only! My receipt was correct, but the tickets there and back was clearly wrong!

When I arrived at my destination, I went to the section where I was to get out of the station and scan my ticket, I spoke to the worker standing there, I said, “The date on my tickets, they are wrong,” I showed both to him, and my proof of purchase of my receipt. He said, “That is why it is very important to always check your tickets.” I said, I would not expect such a big company to make such a huge mistake.”  I went on, “I am only going to TKMaxx, then I shall be back well before four-thirty.” He said, “I will let you through, do not scan anything, on your return, go to the ticket information centre and there, they will be able to help you.” I said, “Thank you, what is your name, so that I can tell them that I have spoken to you.” He said, “My name is Tom.” I said, “Thank you Tom.” I left the station.

When I returned to the station, Tom was still there, at the scan ticket turnstile, I went up to him and said, “Hi Tom, I am back, where did you say I should go?” He showed me where to go and off I went.

I thought there would be a massive queue, but thankfully there wasn’t. I went to the lady at the desk, I said, “When I bought my tickets, the ticket man printed the wrong date.” I added, “I spoke to Tom who works on the turnstile, and he sent me here to you.”

She took my tickets and looked at them and said, “Not only did he print the wrong date, he also printed the opposite destinations, he did them the wrong way round!” I was gobsmacked! So, my out was wrong and my return was wrong.

I said to Sophie, “I will have a word with him when I get back, and show him his tickets.”

I then went back to Tom and told him about the tickets that, “They were the wrong way round, the out was not out but return and the return was out.” Tom smiled, and said, “Well I am glad I was able to help you, by letting you go out of the station and showing you where to go, on your return.” I said, “For that I am grateful.” I asked him, “When is my next train due?” Tom replied, “In two minutes it will leave,” I said, “Oh, I won’t make it in time,” He said, you will, “You will, go down there to the right.” I said, “Thank you Tom, for all your help.”

I raced towards where he had told me to go, I didn’t expect to catch the train, I got on it, and found a nice seat and within seconds it left the station.

Sophie had given me a new ticket; she had stapled it to the completely wrong tickets. There is more than one way to leave the station on arrival, I decided I would go back and show the ticket man. A thought came in my mind, just leave it, it’s not important.

I wasn’t cross, nor was it a complaint, I just wanted to show him, but when I got to the ticket office, it was closed.

To me, he was a classic case of Dyslexia.