A funny thing happened on the way to work...

A musical soundtrack is a must-have on the morning commute. In fact it's nigh on crucial kit for any mode of London public transport. Be it to drown out the inane ramblings of the rabble that occupy the ‘backseat empire’ on the buses. Or to nullify the horrendous drone and suffocating atmosphere of the tube. After all, you may be in the process of being transported to your particular coalface of choice/necessity, but it’s also paramount that you have music to transport you elsewhere whilst on your (not so) merry way... 

General rule of thumb is that no one ever talks on the tube during weekdays (a true Londoner wouldn't even utter so much as a "bloody tourists" at weekends either). A savage silence reigns supreme. That is, unless you get some out-of-towner that doesn't understand the rules and fails to register the glares from their fellow passengers. It amazes me that these jabber jaws merrily pipe on; totally oblivious of the carriage full of people doing their best impression of a furious librarian! The hardened masses simply want hush…or their very own soundtrack to slip away into.

Which (finally!) brings me round to the odd episode that occurred this morning. On arriving in Brixton (my glamorous embarkation point), Amy Winehouse's 'Me and Mr Jones' commenced, name checking the very place I was currently striding through (“Rulers one thing but come Brixton” ). And then what should come on immediately after Ms Wino’, but Pulp's 'Sorted for E's & Wizz', which features the immortal line "a f*cked up bloke in Camden Town", which just happens to be my final destination (although hopefully not my 'Final Destination' in the ropey US horror franchise sense!). 

So this all begs the question; is my iPod HAL from 2001? Is it monitoring my every movement? Or is it simply so familiar with the well-worn path that we both tread with depressing regularity, that it too has had our various ports of call seared into it’s memory?!?

Personally I like the idea that my iPod is just as bored as I am by the daily travel torment, so is trying to make things a little more entertaining…

Boat drinks iPod of mine!