Ticket inspection

Occasionally ticket inspectors would come to Westmead Station. This event occurred when I was returning from the shops to my flat. It occurred some time in the between the years 2000 and 2005.

I walked up to the station up the ramp from the north west. I could head this woman screaming. She was saying things like “Let me go you fucking bastards!” As I rounded the corner onto the main concourse across the train tracks there was this woman pinned to the ground by a transit ticket inspection officer. She was screaming out, but as far as I could see making no serious attempt to escape. She was probably in her early thirties.  I seriously contemplated whipping out the mobile phone, but decided not to. From further along the concourse came the sound of running and a small girl in hysterics. As I passed the woman pinned to the ground, I could now see to where the ticket validating machines are located. Here there was a girl, perhaps 9 years old. She was crying hysterically, wanting her mother to be let go. Another ticket inspection officer was trying, in a hopeless attempt, to calm her down. I walked past this too. As I descended the steps leading off the concourse, there was a woman perhaps in her 40’s wearing a knee length skirt and a third ticket checking officer. As I approached the man said to her, you are under arrest. The woman leaned with her back against the wire mesh fence and sank to the ground with a pained groan. Still I continued on my way back to my flat.

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