Got the last train home from London last night after a lovely lunchy, drinky evening with a friend. Last trains home are never pleasant so my friend and I decided just to have a wee snooze on the way home. We were sat opposite each other, both in rows of three empty seats and soon fell asleep. I expected to wake up at the next station but I didn’t even get that far as I was woken up by some random foot fetishist freak stroking my foot! Some random dirty old **** had sat diagonally opposite me and decided to stroke my foot that was resting on the seat next to him.
When I first woke up, I was a little bit confused as to what was happening and immediately put my foot on the floor and stared at the guy who was pretending to read his paper. Was a bit of a delayed reaction on my behalf, but I thought I can’t just say nothing. So, in a reasonably loud voice I asked him if he thougt it perhaps best if he moved seats. To which he looked at me totally shocked. So I repeated my request and then he asked why I wanted him to move. So I told him I didn’t feel comfortable with him sitting there. By now, people were looking round (all men I might add, no women) bit no one else said anything. After I’d asked him to move again a couple of times, the perv then whispered, I only touched your foot by accident, I don’t think there’s any reason for me to move. What a crock of sh1t! And, I hadn’t mentioned antyhing about foot touching and stroking someone’s foot enough to wake them up is not the same as touching someone’s foot by accident.
Anyway, we were pulling into a station and a fellow passenger who was getting off asked if I wanted him to get the guard (the only person in the carriage who offered any assistance at all). I said no, as I couldn’t see what that would achieve, and woke my friend (who was out for the count for the whole mucky episode) and we moved seats.
Firstly, I was angry that he’d done that to me. Secondly, I was angry that only one person offered any assistance at all. Thirdly, I’m angry that I didn’t know what to do and how to handle that situation – should I have got the guard? Should I have insisted that he moved? AND, I’m angry that certain people still think it’s ok to act like that towards other people. In the grand scheme of things, it’s obviously not the worst thing in the world that could ever happen to me, but it’s still gross and made me feel so mucky, bleugh and physically sick if I’m honest.
Ladies - beware of train pests. I certainly won’t be dozing on a train for a while.
