I live in Melbourne and use public transport. Which means I am exposed to a female voice (I think it’s the same voice) announcing the next stop or train/bus route.

I’m sure most people take no notice. Or they find it annoying and ignore it. Not me. I become emotionally involved.

My mind tells me the announcements are words that were pre-recorded and then spliced together. But I cannot help but really try to listen to the person behind the voice.

And I step off the bus or train feeling quite confused. It sounds like multiple mood swings all spoken in the same sentence.

There’s first a sense of relief and then its another day in the office when she tells me that the train is terminating at Glen Waverley. There’s an initial sense of authority and then despondency when I’m told that this is a Watergardens train. And I want to tell her that it will be alright. Don’t worry. It will be fine. Just hang in there for the rest of the day.

But one day it all came together. This time all through the bus trip, each cross street is being announced. This time the tone is much the same. And then at the end the final destination. This bus terminates at Blackburn Station.

It was the last trip and last destination recorded before she goes on holidays! And she had packed and her flights were ready to go! I really felt happy for her!

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