Preston - The Serial Fare Evader

Well, Brighton trip over, and I can look back on certain aspects with...........malice.

So here we are. Me with luggage, and my companion ( an elderly service user with a learning disability) with a large case as well, boarding at Clapham Junction station. We get on and sit down in a couple of free seats. We get into East Croydon. After taking off from the platform, we are confronted with ticket inspectors. I show our tickets. It seems like we are sitting in the first class section.

Wha-wha-wha-WHAT????????

You must be kidding if that is first class. It's not too different to the regular seats, but there is a sign so I guess I should have seen it.

But the inspector was in a class of his own. A complete arsehole. And no, I don't think all ticket inspectors are arseholes. When I was accosted by an inspector at East Croydon, (a blemish on the butt of a geography map) several months back, and told that my Oyster card, which I'd just topped up that day by £25, didn't cover my traveling on British rail, I realised he was doing his job and it was just the complete arsehole system that was F*****. Of course, I could have pleaded my case and got that £18 fine reimbursed, if my busy schedule had of taken time out to remind me to get my appeal in within the 21 day limit (bugger).

It cost us an extra £26 each, to go one way to Brighton.

Back to the arsehole inspector. I could have used his face as a punchbag. His manner had a supercilious air to it. His matter-of-fact tone was infused with a smug 'ha-ha-I got you' slant. He kept reminding me what made it the 1st class section, emphasising the word madam at the end of every sentence. I ended up losing my cool and saying, "Stop calling me madam. In fact, just stop talking to me and bloodywell give me the fine".
To which he answered "I'm only being polite" (dont believe that for a minute).
To which I answered " Well, I'm obviously not, so just give me the damn ticket".

In my defence, I didn't raise my voice once. But believe you me. Preston was PISSED.