Metrorail gets a plus because of a Wallet

Metrorail became my focus this morning, by no fault of their own. At 7h51 I received this bbm from my drummer boy, Christo, who is a Metrorail commuter to UWC in Bellville.

Lost wallet

“Mommy, my wallet fell out of my pocket in the train!!!!!” With crying face to boot. Now, I can be forgiven for being practical. My first question was with an appropriate “Oh no, first. Then, “Did you lose your ticket?” ( This ticket cost a solid R40 extra since UWC went on recess a month ago). And your ID?     (didn’t even want to think of strange-looking clones of my son drifting around in Cape Town).

The delinquent wallet

Metroril under the microscope

And, Metrorail’s PR department, hanging on for dear life to improve the track record of the rail service, is in steep competition with my facebook traffic reporters who commute across the peninsula as Metro clients. Typical unflattering statuses would be along the lines of:

“ GM Peeps. 19⁰ in cpt. No rain thru broken windows today. Take care.”

OR

" WTF… no trains…no warning…  short pay AGAIN. it’s not metrorail, its METROFAIL."

Cryptic, no-nonsense language from frustrated travellers. Even Rob Byrne or Julin Naidoo cannot outdo this in-your-face real time updates. I suppose this is why we need smartphones and good data deals. To deal with this! Uppercase means shouting in polite circles. In FB-speak, the nuances are unutterable.  You need a fair share of high cognitive skills which you ironically acquire when you travel via Metrorail.

Shoo… Metrorail seriously need one of the best risk management firms to save their image. And Christo’s crying emoticon with the blue graffiti ears and the backside of a train as its mouth did not help me either. Did they not perhaps patent that one for Blackberry? Murderous thoughts flashed as I saw a possible defunct “lost property” section at Metrorail . What to do?



A nice version of my pre-wallet rescue thoughts

World class citizenship by Trisha

And then another bbm arrives from the wallet-less student, still on the train...

“A lady found it ima get it later… When I get home.”

That was such a relief. A wonderful woman, Trisha,  had rescued the delinquent wallet. Poor Trisha had apparently tracked Christo down after phoning UCT, who phoned UWC, who phoned Christo while he was still on the train to Bellville. (Apologies for this clumsy sentence , but I have gone 'metro' and slightly off the rails).

 How’s that for going beyond the call of being a citizen who cares?

Then Trisha had arranged to meet Christo when he returned from campus for the Wallet handover.

Happy ending

So, all’s well that ends well. Metrorail may drive their commuters round the bend – of course, two hours later with “a sorrie for da inconveenyance” - but their commuters like Trish are  World Class…