I saw a chap running for the Metro today. He was dressed like a City gent. As he had missed the doors, he decided to deprive us of the satisfaction of pulling away with him still on the platform. (This is always a lovely moment that makes my day, the enjoyment being generally proportional to the amount of effort made to try to catch the train).
He stuck out his brolly and the door trapped it long enough to wrangle the doors and force them open. As he joined us, he beamed his (not quite enough) embarrassment from the top of his pinstriped suit. But although he got in, his satchel (I know, satchel!) was trapped.
He was a young guy so either the pinstripe-satchel combo was an affectation or he was posh. Anyway it is not important for the tale, so I'd ask you to overlook it.
It was jammed sufficiently tightly for the doors not to open. Away he struggled. The doors-closing buzzer had long since silenced. Anticipation of velocity was in the air. As a casual observer I was hungry for blood. (I had forgotten my sandwiches).
Down the years I have seen a few trapped customers in the Metro and even forced the doors for a couple. It is tougher in London where the doors close more angrily and with more impatient power. That's where I saw the best such episode last year.
A guy was struggling to get off the Tube. I cannot recall why he was late to alight (you don't get a lot of opportunity to use that word so indulge me). I think it was just a tardy decision.
He got off but just as the perfect moment, his hat blew off in the rush and landed on the floor of the carriage as he arrived on the platform just ahead of the closing doors. Off went the train with his headgear. Nothing to be done.
OK, it wasn't the end of the Wrath of Khan but surely an equally helpless moment. Nothing could be done but watch through the glass as his hat took the Tube to Heathrow. (And no, it did not belong to Bono).
Back at the Newcastle Metro, eventually the driver noticed the gaoled satchel and pressed the satchel-release button. The door briefly opened and off we went, but not before the Geordie driver came over the tannoy with a timely, "That was clever wasn't it?".
