From Ectasy to Agony

It was less than 48 hours ago that I strode down the Stratford Broadway, more excited and nervous than I thought I’d be. I walked down towards Stratford Station. There, a big screen and a stage has been erected and a large crowd had gathered so see if the 30th Olympic games would return to London for the first time since 1948, and as has become what seems to be a nation obsession; beat the French!

The crowd was larger than I thought it would be, and you could almost smell the anxiety. Most of the people in the throng had 2012 badges pinned to their pin stripe suits and looked tense as the seemingly endless rituals of children singing and the formality of congratulating all the biding cities. These were not cheering, flag waving photogenic and well-marshalled publicity aids. They were at Trafalgar square. These were people to whom the bid really meant something. They were the local residents, whose hometown and probably their lives would be completely transformed by the outcome of this decision. There were the architects of the bid, for whom the decision would mean that all their hard work was deemed a success or a failure.

As I walked up to the station to take my place in the throng, I bumped into Mike, one of my best friends from home. He has just graduated as an officer in the British Transport Police. He was there in an official capacity to marshal the crowds. I went up and said a quick hello as we had organised to play tennis the next day. He said "I’d love to join you for a swift half after the decision but my bosses seem to think it’s inappropriate". Typical Mike!

Mike was ushered away and we were only moments from the decision. Everyone was silent and we all clambered together to hear what IOC president Jacques Rogge had to say.
They turned up the volume on the big screen. The envelope was opened. "The games of the 30th Olympiad are awarded to the City of"

Pause: the crowd started to rumble with anticipation which was getting so loud I feared I wouldn’t be able to hear it. However then, clear as a bell we heard the word that sent the hundreds gathered into shrieks of joy.
"London!"

It hit me like a thunderbolt! I got rather carried away in the moment. It didn’t matter because everybody did! People we shouting "We’ve done it, we’ve bloody done it!"

Confetti cannons went off, the Bid theme tune started to play and we all felt proud to be a part of that moment. I was surprised to feel like that, and I’m not sure I will again. Although I have done nothing to contribute to the success of the bid apart from register my support and send messages of good will, everyone felt united by the common cause for celebration.

As I turned around and started my walk back to work, the red arrows rocketed past puffing out smoke trails of brilliant red white and blue. At that moment I became a hypocrite as Edith Piaf voice emerged in my subconscious singing #Non, je ne regrette rien#.

Next morning as I got the tube into work, I was reading through The Times reading about London’s triumph from the previous day. The tanoy on the tube interrupted my revelry. We were informed that there had been a suspect package found at Liverpool Street station and that trains were no longer stopping. Furthermore Bank station had been closed because of a power surge due to the rain.

I got off at Stratford as usual and thought little of it. This sort of thing happens a lot on the tube.

I got into work at 9am. As soon as I had sat down, the phone rang to tell me that my recognition event in the centre of town had been cancelled due to a Bomb. I looked at the BBC website and read about the Bomb going off on a Bus at Tavistock Square.

Later reports of bombs going off at Aldgate East, Liverpool Street, Edgware Road, Euston and Kings Cross. Confusion reigned. We wondered if people had been killed, if being in Stratford, that we also would be a target. No one over reacted, but being so close to home, the events rattled us all a bit.

As the situation became clearer, we realised the full story, there had been 4 blasts. One on a bus and three on the tube, causing terror to the poor people suck on the tube trains.

All my appointments for that day and the BOSS day for the Friday were cancelled. People sat huddled around radios and televisions wondering if there were any new developments. Receiving e-mails and phone calls from all over the world making sure they are all ok. Wondering how we were all going to get home having no public transport

After the initial shock of it all, a spirit that is particularly British began to emerge. Our way, London’s way of fighting back showing terrorists that they cannot win was to gel together, help each other out and show a complete indifference to the tragedy of the mornings events. The civilians were following the example of our fantastic emergency services, which have efficiently dealt with the wounded so that they haven’t joined the list of the dead. They have worked so hard and for so long, that London had returned almost to normal with 24 hours. Bravo ladies and gentlemen!

Pubs and private houses were opening their doors to the victims. Making them cups of tea and bites to eat, caring for complete strangers. Everybody chipping in to make sure the terrorists know normal service is resumed.

If the evil people who committed this murderous act thought that by trying to terrorise our multicultural capital that they can divide us, then they were wrong. If they thought that they could cause long term panic and disruption, then they have failed.
Yesterday’s events were tragic and deeply upsetting. Nevertheless the response to these events has been nothing short of miraculous.

The last word should perhaps go to my friend Mike, who didn't make it to the tennis as he was still at work. He was one of the first on the scene at Aldgate East when the Bomb went off. He simply said "Sorry I missed the tennis, but I have seen some bad things today".

What a difference a day makes.