Scott Joplin + Tram Walk = ...Super Mario?

Having just brushed my teeth within the Protection of Tooth Enamel Safety Restrictions timeline, I’d like to take a moment to make an observation about which I’m absolutely certain many others before me have pondered in depth.

Making the long, arduous journey either from my house to the tram, or from the tram to my house is always fun filled and riveting. Whether it be non-ticket-having “drunkenly-stoned shouty guy”, or random people who sit next to you even when every other seat is empty, then insist upon using your phone, there’s always something interesting going on that you have to struggle to hear while simultaneously maintaining the façade of indifference and nonchalance.

However, tonight the usually phenomenal excitement that is: “The Tram Journey” was dwarfed, by the new and improved: “Walk From Tram to Building.”

Now, you wouldn’t think that too much could happen in less than 5 minutes, but from the second the tram was vacated, the fun began. With n-pod in one ear the epic 150 metre, Lord of the Rings-esque journey began, by me nearly taking out “running man with takeaway”. It was once again a case of the “move-out-of-the-way-only-to-find-they-have-done-likewise” phenomenon, which I wrote about last year. After what felt like about five years of trying to get out of his way, we finally broke free and progressed onto where each of us was actually trying to go.

Moving onto the Colley Reserve path, “having issues with parking meter” man and either “joking or hurling abuse while in cars” people were passed. Suddenly, the hardcore plinkings of Scott Joplin came on, and everything changed.

…well not really. I just wanted to sound dramatic. Nonetheless, it did inspire the random feeling of being in a game of Super Mario. Seriously try it sometime. With the background music there, it would not have come as a huge shock to see frightening evil spotted mushrooms heading in my general direction, with the only way to save myself being to jump either on them, causing them to go “fleep!!!” and dissolve into nothingness, or jump over them and continue moving on in safety.

Skirting around trees, hedges and assorted bottles and litter, without being attacked by mushrooms or mutant bug things, the remainder of the journey was relatively uneventful. Nearing home, “walking normally and not doing anything interesting or unusual to comment on” man and the familiar pillar of smart cars came into sight, and there the fascinating wonderfulness of being Mario ended…

…still wondering why Ghost of the Robot want(ed) to be David Letterman.