Be Careful What You Wish For!

It was in the dim and distant days beyond recall, when men were men and women were ... but I digress - before I've even started! - let's just say it must have been four or five years ago when I first read about Emily Finch in one of those many unsolicited magazines and leaflets that penetrate the meagre defences of my letterbox flap.  She was looking for help to start a charity ... no easy task, as I know from experience!  Approving of her aims, I sent her a donation and in response received the occasional e-mail as the project progressed.  Now I'm a regular supporter of the Bus Stop by prayer and a standing order.

Last summer, planning an extension to take advantage of my attendance at my cousin's 'big' birthday celebration, I booked a B&B near Huddersfield in order to make visits to three National Trust properties before I surrendered my membership later in the year.  Whilst in the area, I thought I might drive through some of the towns and villages where the Bus Stop operates ... just to get a feel of the sort of communities it serves.

The whole plan was thrown into chaos when, with less than a week to go, I suffered a car accident, in which my lovely Tigra was written off.  However desperate I might be for road transport to be replaced, it wasn't going to be in place by the end of the week: what was I to do?  It needed little thought to hit upon public transport and I decided to go by bus and train, with the result that a beautiful sunny afternoon found me walking across Nottingham city centre from train station to bus depot after the smoothest two-leg train trip you could imagine.  The ensuing National Trust bonanza was abandoned, and those Yorkshire villages didn't even get a thought.

The other evening, as I was getting ready for bedtime and made my regular 'final circuit' of e-mail and social media websites before shutting down the computer, I found an invitation to the Bus Stop's AGM in a few weeks' time.  Suddenly, in a moment of freedom recognised, I realised that, instead of a swift 'it's a long way away, click-and-delete', there was actually no reason that I shouldn't go to the meeting.  It's being held in the middle of York, almost opposite the famous Betty's Cafe Tea Rooms so, when I found the location, my next thought was where would I park the car? and I began to scour the map of York for car parks.

I soon discovered the NCP at the railway station and all at once I made the link I'd forgotten about all those months ago.  To take the train would certainly overcome the parking difficulties but the very fact of going to the AGM would bring me directly into contact with the organisation, instead of the vague 'well, this is the place' experience that my summer plan would have achieved.  With a few more clicks I had discovered a direct train in each direction and made the booking.  I now have the tickets on my noticeboard, ready for use when the time comes, and all I need is fine weather to catch my initial bus, and then for my walk to the venue when I get there.

Talk about wishes being granted!