Little London stories: (Part 4 of 5): Carrie Fisher in the cab, mind the gap suit

I want to tell these two little stories before I forget.

About a month ago, when I was coming back to London from the U.S., I had a smart, sociable cabbie (Black Cab). He told me about how the cyclists were making it a living nightmare for drivers in the city, and sure enough, as we maneuvered our way from Waterloo to Ealing, more than a handful of cyclists were in our lane. They were trying to ride as fast as cars, but it forced the cars behind them, i.e. us, to slow down a bit to avoid killing them.

"Really annoying," I said. "I'm all for environmentalism, but it's not sensible for people on bikes to think they are in cars."

Somehow, the conversation turned to other topics, like film and television, and the driver told me he had picked up Carrie Fisher "when she was in town a few weeks ago."

"Shortly before she died? Wow. I know she was here to film Graham Norton."

"She told me three cabs had already passed her by when I picked her up on Oxford Street. She had her dog with her."

"Gary!"

"Yes." He smiled at the memory. He was with another writer-avec-pet now, moi, but of course I was never a film star and my cat, Wally, doesn't have a Twitter following.

"What was she like??"

"Just like you see in film. I almost didn't recognize her, but she was such a lovely woman. No pretension."

He told me after she thanked him for picking them up when the other cabs hadn't, he said he wouldn't have passed up Carrie Fisher. He may have added Princess Leia, but I forget that.

I arrived at my lodge that night, thankful that I'd found someplace pet-friendly and also wondering if Carrie was watching over us. May the fourth cab be with you.

###

A couple weeks later I wanted to get back out to Tower Bridge. I hadn't been there since 2005, on my first trip to the UK, when I'd come upon it by accident. This time I was heading out at night, but it was no less striking and I forged across, despite the heavy winds. (Note, was very disappointed that the low-ceilinged pub I'd wandered into 12 years earlier had been closed.)

The story of the night, though, wasn't the bridge but the man I met at the tube, who works for the transportation authority. He was holding a little megaphone or walky-talky gismo and reminding people to "MIND THE GAP!" I told him I wasn't aware from prior trips that it was necessary to have staff walk up and down saying this. I had just heard it on the P.A. as a recording.

"Right," he told me, "and we do this because a lawyer fell and sued the Underground. After that, we have to go out and do this."

"Ridiculous! The PA isn't enough, nor the signs, nor, uh, common sense? No one tells anyone in the New York subway system to mind the gap. I don't even think anyone cares."

He laughed. "It's not a very exciting job, but it's not what I usually do." He was some kind of manager. I asked if I could say 'MIND THE GAP' into his magaphone and he smiled. I don't think he realised I was serious. I was, but respecting his privacy -- he'd already been super open for a Brit -- I pulled back.

Top photo: Carrie Fisher, from Wikimedia Commons Images, Alan Light

Bottom photo: The author on the Tower Bridge for the first time, Jan. 2005

Tonight, Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiered in London.