Everyday Magic

There’s so much hate and negativity in the world. Let’s talk about some of the good stuff today. This is not a hippy, love thing going on, though I’d have no objection - it’s got to be better than all the hating - simply a tale of everyday magic.

I had a trip to the hospital earlier his week and was out for most of the day. If you read my Substack regularly, you’ll know about my anxiety when travelling. I’ve had some truly horrendous experiences. My trip yesterday involved a car and 2 buses and took 1 hour and 45 minutes. Everything went smoothly for a change and I got to my appointment with time for a quick loo break and a drink. When public transport works well, it’s a delightful thing. Not only did I get to use my concessionary travel card (thank you Scot Gov) but I saved roughly 10kg of CO2 emissions. It was something to feel positive about at the start of my day.

On arrival at the hospital, I was greeted by cheerful staff, given a drink and had the timetable for the procedure explained. I was taken to x-ray and although I had to wait, it wasn’t long. Everybody introduced themselves at every stage and did everything to make me feel at ease. When I went back to the department, I was seen straight away for a questionnaire and then had to wait a short time for my procedure. Everything was explained and making me feel comfortable and informed seemed to be paramount. The consultant was a man of few words, but he performed the procedure expertly and explained what to expect afterwards. I was allowed to refuse prophylactic antibiotics, which I had been worried about, as it always takes my system the best part of 18 months to recover from them. I have issues with lots of things about the way the NHS works and some of the consultants I’ve dealt with - rarely the nursing staff - but yesterday’s experience was a positive one. I had genuine conversations and everyone, without exception, was friendly and helpful and I lost count of the number of times someone mentioned liking my hand knitted cardigan!

Scots are touted as being a friendly bunch and Highland folk generally live up to the hype. People say hello. People talk to each other, strike up conversations. Generally, people are helpful. I bought a hot drink for the bus on the way home and the lady who was making it cleaned and dried my travel cup for me before re-filling it. The young lassie at the bus stop chatted with me about garden birds and her admiration for crows. The kids, who generally get a bad rap, were polite and some even let the older people board the bus first. Three separate people - total strangers - started a conversation with me. Yes, we talked about generalities and the weather, but we also talked about one lady’s Parkinson’s diagnosis and another lady’s imminent retirement.

I’ve had really good experiences with bus drivers in the Highlands. They’re usually helpful and always polite. They wait for people to get to the bus stop, they help people with luggage and directions and route planning. I’ve often seen them stop at places to let people off, that aren’t designated bus stops. The driver could possibly get into trouble for stopping at non-designated bus stops, but in rural locations this can mean the difference between a very long walk and a much shorter one. There are rarely connecting buses for onward travel, so it’s either Shanks’s Pony or wait for a lift if you’ve got one. On a trip to Perth, with my self-advocacy group of young adults with learning disability, the driver stopped in Aviemore and got off the bus. We all assumed it was a convenience stop, which it was, but he also came back with ice-creams for all of my group. Yesterday, the bus driver going back let a young chap with learning difficulties ride a round trip, just because he enjoys bus journeys. He rode up front all the way.

What’s your experience of public transport and the friendliness of strangers where you are? When I lived in Hampshire I had some very bad experiences with the local bus services and had to complain to the bus company on behalf of someone with ASD who had been repeatedly victimised by a bus driver. There was another driver who was known for being rude and unhelpful and some elderly people would wait for the next bus rather than get on his. I guess in cities driving a bus can bring its own hassles and mix of passengers and problems, but I’ve not had experience of passengers being rude. People here always thank the driver when they leave the bus and I’ve experienced that in other places too.

There was nothing out of the ordinary about my day, but people being kind, thoughtful, polite and conversational made a long and difficult day much easier and a lot more pleasant. Being nice is underrated. In a world of increasing hate, polarisation and greed, being nice is a bit of a super power, which can make the world a much better place.

Please do share your own instances of everyday magic, whether you’ve been on the giving or the receiving end.

---

Photo 1 Chrysanthemum Hippy Love Child by Debbie Ross available from Higgeldy Garden Seeds