Iron Men
These young men are meeting each other for the first time. Their first day of official employment after finishing university studies. They are waiting at the platform of an English railway station to take them to the Commando Training Centre for the Royal Marines. Ironing boards are part of their kit. What to say when there is so much to say, when the words can't get past the lump in the throat . . . ? . . . . .
Thank you for the explanation, so bittersweet…
Bittersweet is a perfect description, thank you Anna!
It reminds me of when I left to join the service. Godspeed.
Thank you Tom. For so much!
Is it fair to ask, would you do it all over again?
Great shot, Patti. The ironing boards make it look like some kind of surrealist prank. Very interesting.
Oh that it were indeed a surrealist prank, with Stanley Kubrick directing!
Life will never be the same again. They’ll look back on this day with reverie.
Geoff, my fingers are crossed that they will be old and grey, and nodding by the fire with reverie!
that looks something unusual with that ironing board 😉
Weapons of mass instruction with promises of world peace to follow!
Thinking of you. xx
Thank you so much Gaynor. I shall pass along your kind thoughts!
indeed, amusing how many iron boards we can count on one single picture!
I am sure they will be put to good use Frizz.
“bring your own board”. What a unique shot. I’ve never seen anything like it. Wonderful.
Thank you so much mobius, it was quite a daunting sight. I wasn’t sure what I was getting with this shot until I looked at it later.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that before (I had no idea about the ironing boards – I mean… it makes sense, I guess… yet somehow that had never occurred to me).
Hoping these guys all stay safe.
🙂
Oh dear SiG, I so hope they all stay safe!
LOL. Great shot. Would be interesting to catch all these guys on the way back from training. 😉
Thank you Derrick! My absolute pleasure to keep you posted!
I can’t help wondering if you were an innocent by-stander or you have some relation to them…. it seems a bit ironic that an ironing board is the biggest part of their gear. Can’t they share?
Absolutely more than fair wonder Paula – our son is in that group. I have my theories about the ironing boards but if I start here I might not know where to stop . . .
Oh Patti, this must be hard on you…. which one is yours?
The emotions, at this point, are a strange mix of pride, hope and denial, all so difficult to make any sense of! My son is in the dark suit, back to camera, his ironing board is the red and grey spotted at the front!
Thank you Paula for your kind thought.
The intimate photo, the words you write; it’s as if you got into their lives and knew them.
Annie, it was the strangest sensation in that knowing one, you “know” them all . . .
This Guys are really cool ,,, Great shot Patti thanks for sharing 🙂
I think they would be more than happy with cool, thanks Jake!
WoW! Thats interesting 🙂
Great title: Iron Men!
Interesting shot. Thanks a lot for the explanation. For first, I was not sure, what this picture was describing. Great post.
Ah he is one with the flashiest ironing board :). When I saw this pic for the first time, I thought your son looked more like a young CEO than a marine ;). Wish him best of luck!
Thought your ‘ weapons of mass instruction’ comment was very apt 🙂 The promise of world peace is something only these young idealistic recruits might believe in!
So, this is what Iron Man looks like in casual clothes. Thanks for making me smile. A post with a fun humor. It takes courage to take a iron table in a busy place.
great picture! but i keeps me wondering, do they also each have an iron?
Thank you Olive! Yes, they do indeed have their own irons!
That’ll be Exeter Central then – rumour has it that the ironing boards are for lying on to ensure a ramrod straight back 😉 Great image – my best wishes to your son and his friends 🙂
Of course, I actually meant St. Davids – You’d think the main station would be central wouldn’t you 😉