Pissed on a Train

When I was nineteen, my bff and I went to England to stay with our other friend who was going to college near London. One night, we were on a train headed back to Brittany's college, seated in a section of four seats which faced each other. A couple of drunk girls (or pissed as they say in England), chose to sit with us, though the train car was nearly empty.

Super drunk sat directly across from me, and Semi-drunk sat across the aisle from me.

Super drunk harassed us by trying to steal our cookies and throwing hard candy at our heads. She had a bottle of red vodka that she kept swigging, and we were sure she would spill it. My friends tried to get her to leave, but she was pretty obstinate.

Meanwhile, Semi-drunk asked me all about America, especially celebrities. She asked if I knew Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, and Jessica Simpson (this was 2005, btw). She also told me that she loved my accent. If I had a nickel for every time an English girl told me that! Well, I'd have a nickel.

Pretty Brittany outside a pub in London.

Super drunk looked at Alyssa and said, "You're pretty." Then she turned to Brittany and said, "You're pretty, too."

I was already anticipating her compliment, when she turned to me and said accusingly, "You're gangly."

My response was some mix of humored shock, disappointment, and feigned apathy.

Semi-drunk stood up for me, saying, "I think she's pretty." At that moment, I was grateful for our friendship over celebrities and American accents.

Super drunk just stared at me and said, "You're hair is like a bush." Obstinate girl!

And people wonder why I have a hair complex!! Just kidding. Kind of. If she only knew that big, sexy hair is in style somewhere....other than Dallas and the early 90's. I think. I hope.

Pretty Alyssa dancing on a train.

We escaped with all our cookies intact and no red alcohol stains, but it was definitely an interesting experience for a naive nineteen year-old in a foreign (does England count as foreign?) country. I also learned that "gangly" has three syllables in English...that is, non-American style.

Gangly Deborah with the Cantebury Cathedral.

Thanks to Alyssa for the polaroids - the only few digital copies of pictures from our trip!