May 14th was my last bet, 3 weeks ago.
I had travelled by train to meet up with a friend, I got off the train and walked into the station coffee shop. The fruit machines drew me in and £100 lighter I walked out, I could have bought a coffee for every station user with that sort of money!
I couldn't shake the feeling in my head over the next few days (and weeks), it was a small loss in the grand scheme of things but I had just managed to gamble away £100...in a blooming coffee shop! Not a casino, not a bookies, not a arcade, not a pub, a coffee shop!!!
So every time I have a coffee now I rewind to this moment and it is currently working as it makes me sick to the stomach thinking just how gambling has took over everywhere now!
That is shocking they are now in coffee shops...they seriously need to make the laws stronger on where and how many there can be in places!
Yeah used to do the train station Upper Crust/Pumpkin Cafe FMs quite often. The height of sophistication, caning a bandit in a coffee shop.
I remember once getting a long distance train, London to Edinburgh. Realising that, with the same ticket, I could get off at Newcastle and gamble the train station FMs, and still use my open return ticket to board a train an hour later.
Job I had for a long time involved passing through a busy train station. Stopped in the train station arcade on the way back most days, often not getting back till late.
Weird how train stations acted as mini gambling havens. I think they offered some kind of sanctuary where I could 'let my hair down' - a place to de-mask.
Looking back it's mundanity more than the money which shocks me.
Wish you well on your journey.
Louis
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