tger greenhaddock: The Knife Lady

Saturday, February 24, 2007

The Knife Lady

Whilst on the tram to the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof after my last night shift a mad lady wearing a very bright pink hat got onto the tram. She sat down and then started to talk to her self. Fellow passengers left her immediate area rapidly. It wasn’t the hat, or her ramblings that unsettled everyone it was the king size hair spray can and the big kitchen knife that she was waving around.

Some people looked quite scared, but nobody said anything, in fact most people seemed to try and pretend she wasn’t there. I didn’t find her threatening at all. It seemed to me as if she was carrying her can and knife for protection. I felt quite sorry for her really.

At the next stop she left the tram, and a few minutes later the tram driver walked through the tram trying to locate her. Nobody said anything, so in the end I told him the lady had left the tram. I guess nobody wanted to get involved.

It did remind me of another incident many years ago when a dodgy bloke pulled a knife on me on a tube train in London. Again it was after a work shift, but I must’ve given him a ‘I don’t give a shit look’ as he soon moved on to threaten other commuters instead. I left the train at the next available station. It wasn’t my stop, I didn’t want to get involved, and I definitely didn’t want to get stabbed.


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10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I guess we all have our quirks! LOL
I feel so bad for people like that because it is obvious that they are mentally ill and need help. Unfortunately the mentally ill often do not get the help they need.

February 24, 2007 5:34 PM  
Blogger Blueyes said...

It's all in what you unfortunately get used to. Tons of people will freak out over illness, blood and death and because I've been at the hospital for over 16 yrs, it doesn't bother me hardly at all anymore. It should for family and friends but sadly it doesn't. It's just another thing taked onto what I have to already deal with. If you see something enough times, it doesn't have that shock effect anymore.

February 24, 2007 7:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I usually don't even notice those sort of people anymore, in Rotterdam and Amsterdam there are simply so many lunatics around in the subways and train stations it becomes "normal". It is only when there with people not used to it to hear them pointing it out to me what makes me realize "oh... those are still there as well".

February 24, 2007 10:31 PM  
Blogger Haddock said...

Maribeth - I think you are right, we all have our own quirks. Its just that some quirks are bigger than others! :)

Blueyes - I guess lifes experiences do tend to take the edge of the shock effect. I used to know a few nurses and blood and guts were normal to them! :)

Psycho dude - It's amazing how easy we become accustomed to so called normality! Great name you have by the way! :)

February 25, 2007 10:37 AM  
Blogger EuroTrippen said...

I would have run the other way screaming if someone brandished a knife at me on the tube!

February 25, 2007 9:42 PM  
Blogger Mike B said...

You can usually shout at them and make them go away (kind of like raising your arms to a grizzly bear), but the safest course of action is to steer clear of the conflict if able.

February 26, 2007 12:53 AM  
Blogger Ms Mac said...

Jeez- Imagine what Feng Shui-ists would have have to say about that knife block!!!

Bad energy, man!

February 26, 2007 12:59 PM  
Blogger heza said...

I guess if she wasn't talking to herself, I'd say she was on an unusual scavenger hunt.

Interesting pic.

February 26, 2007 1:58 PM  
Blogger L.L. Barkat said...

Can of hairspray... now, that's an interesting weapon. "Stop, or I'll style your hair!!"

February 26, 2007 5:42 PM  
Blogger J said...

That's quite disturbing.

February 27, 2007 6:34 AM  

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