A moment that changed me: I was always a pushover – until I stood up to some teenagers
Why This Matters
Key context: <p>On the eve of my 40th birthday, I was doused with cold water at a train station. Before, I would have shrugged it off. But suddenly I realised it was time to assert myself</p><p>It was the evening before my 40th birthday – a freezing cold night in March – and I was travelling across London to meet some old school friends for dinner. As I walked down the stairs into the tube station, I spotted a few teens leaning over the balustrade above me. I thought nothing of it; teens hanging about aimlessly is as classic a combination as Archers and lemonade. That was, until they each threw a few KFC paper cups’ worth of icy water over my head.</p><p>I noticed it in slow-motion and, at first, kept walking. Then I realised that my hair was wet and so was my back. Without thinking, I ran back up the stairs and followed the teens, who were marching off down the main road. People on the street were watching me, obviously intrigued to see what I was going to do. <em>What was I going to do?</em> A few people looked at me with pity and pointed me in the right direction.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/oct/28/a-moment-that-changed-me-i-was-always-a-pushover-until-i-stood-up-to-some-teenagers">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.
On the eve of my 40th birthday, I was doused with cold water at a train station. Before, I would have shrugged it off. But suddenly I realised it was time to assert myselfIt was the evening before my 40th birthday – a freezing cold night in March – and I was travelling across London to meet some old school friends for dinner. As I walked down the stairs into the tube station, I spotted a few teens leaning over the balustrade above me. I thought nothing of it; teens hanging about aimlessly is as classic a combination as Archers and lemonade. That was, until they each threw a few KFC paper cups’ worth of icy water over my head.I noticed it in slow-motion and, at first, kept walking. Then I realised that my hair was wet and so was my back. Without thinking, I ran back up the stairs and followed the teens, who were marching off down the main road. People on the street were watching me, obviously intrigued to see what I was going to do. What was I going to do? A few people looked at me with pity and pointed me in the right direction. Continue reading...
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