Still a Young Person

Posted on 2002/10/14 20:08:30 (October 2002) by john.

Imagine how relieved I was today to find out I'm still a young person.



Yesterday I was paralysed by a sudden wave of panic. I was on the train, on the way to visit my nephew, when I happened to glance down at my Young Person's Railcard. The expiry date was 13th October. Yesterday was the 13th of October. Now, I hear you say, that's no big deal. Just pay the eighteen quid or whatever it is and get a new one. The trouble is, National Rail's concept of what a young person is boils down to being aged 25 or under. I'm 25 right now, and pretty soon I won't be, and indeed for the majority of the next 12 months (the lifetime of a railcard) I'd be 26. I couldn't find anywhere in the forms, leaflets or posters that really cleared this issue up for me, and I'd more or less convinced myself that my long romance with that beloved bit of first purple, and later orange, card (?!) were at an end. My cause for concern here is twofold. Firstly, there's the obvious expense. I don't have a car, and rely heavily on train travel to get about. As an example, I went to visit my Mum on her birthday a couple of weekends back. As it was, with my railcard, I paid a fairly hefty 28 quid. I thought this was pretty steep as is. Without a railcard the same journey suddenly becomes 42 quid. Now that's just an obscene amount of money, considering the level of service. The second problem is more an emotional one. I think everyone has a point in their life when they realise they're not young any more. Thankfully, the definitions of young and old are usually very vague and subjective. Enter the tyranny of the Young Person's Railcard. All of a sudden there's a strict time limit to being young. And that limit is 25.

Nervously, I went to the station this morning, unsure of my fate, wondering if I was going to spend the rest of my life buying comfortable slippers, thinking about my pension and seriously comparing the pros and cons of a range of household cleaning products. I'm not sure if it's entirely honest or right, but I think sometimes in these situations it's best to offer as little information as possible. So I just filled in a form, handed over my old card, and asked if I could renew it. No nervous muttering. No dribbling. No sudden outbursts of "OLD! OLD! SO OLD, SO SOON!". No, none of that. That was right out. My patience and cool head were rewarded, and a miracle was bestowed upon me. A miracle that undoubtedly overshadows the feeding of the five thousand and the parting of the Red Sea. Heavenly light shone about me (or was it the blinking of that fluorescent tube in the ticket office?), and I was granted a new railcard. But to me, this was not just a new railcard. Today in that funny smelling little room that only opens at obscure hours, the amicable, yet slightly ineffectual railworker had bestowed unto me a new lease of life (with a fixed 12 month term). A new start. A new chance to act stupidly in public without fear of being sectioned. He had made me young again.

I then vaguely made myself a promise, which I've no idea if I'll bother sticking to particularly well, but it sounded good at the time. For the next year, while my railcard still identifies me as a young person, I'm going to be exactly that. A young person. All of those things that I was supposed to get round to over the last few years because I'm a "grown up" now, I'm just going to bloody well put off for another year. No pension, no mortgage, no health insurance, no savings, no learning to drive. For the next 12 months, while (I think) I can still get away with it, I'm going to be young, irresponsible and stupid. And I'm going to get discounted train fares while I'm doing it.

You'll never be old you fool!

Posted by rowanboy at 2002/10/15 09:58:47.

Ah, by your definition John, I am an old person as my card runs out in March and then I will not be a Young Person. What sort of tragedy is this? None. I believe that you're as old as you feel (or the woman you feel *haw* *haw*) and I still feel very young.

It's a pity you've chosen the YP Railcard as a defining border which to cross, as it runs out too early. People normally select such things as 'You friends getting married', 'Your friends having babies', 'the age of 30', 'Too old to be a cadet'. Do any of these actually matter? What will you actually lose at the end of the year? Will hair fall out, will you be 90% crinklier? No. Look at the picture on that photocard, does it say 'old'? I think not. I think it says "I'm a cheeky rascal, please don't charge me full fare".

In short, being young is a bearing, not a physical age. Take my brother in law, he's the most childish person I know. And he's 30. Furthermore, my parents, although settled down still get up to mad stuff. My Dad nearly managed to rid his bike for 24 hours, the lunatic. Is this the action of an old person? So 'pah' to growing up, being responsible and stuff.

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/10/15 11:55:52.

Ooh, if I buy my railcard the day before my 26th Birthday I get to use it all year! Yay! I can cheat being old for yet another year!

Posted by Rusty at 2002/10/15 20:03:17.

I'm a little online freind of Rusty and TOM.
This is so scary because I feel the same way.
I mean yuck, five years and I will be thirty.
Lord.
i see freinds getting married and popping one out, having mortages.
I just want to young and have fun.
So I have decided to live it in yet another four years of college education.
Having fun and beiong naughty are the best things in the world.
Will I stop this at thiry? I think not.
THough when I turned twentyfive I was like I'm so, so old.
I felt like an old fart.
But just knowing that I have partners in crime in this makes me feel so much better.
In april whne I turn twentysix I will get chest pains from blowing out all the candles.

Yet the same thing with your rail pass happened to me this past month when I had to get my drivers liscence renewed.
No more little your under age card for me.
I've had the thing since I was 18 and now I stare at it and sigh and pout.
I remember the day of the drivers test and the photo and how easy it all was.
How I skiped out on school afterwards and went and pigged out on icecream and french fries with my mother at ten in the morning.
Yeah, so uh when you have a mortage and health insurance and your popping out kids, I think that starts the responsible years.
Ack!
Reaponsibility, what and evil little plan.

Posted by Kitty at 2002/10/15 20:40:03.

Answer to all of this? Become a perpetual student... yer railcard will still be valid!! hee hee! I will no longer be under the magic age in June next year but I'm getting me card regardless. Although I hardly ever use the train any more. bum.

Posted by caroline h at 2002/10/16 18:52:51.

Surely Caroline there is only one train from where you are and it points 'South'?! (Nice to hear from you)

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/10/21 14:06:56.

I'd just like to say that Fish is now 26. Happy Birthday, you old bastard.

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/10/30 10:21:09.

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