New Year, Same old, same old

Working.. New Years Eve.. London.. Parliament Square..

..then comes the decision to block off a Westminster bridge (bugger).

My New Years, in the form of conversations with members of the public, njoy!

Just to set the scene a bit. I'm stood with about 20-25 other colleagues shoulder to shoulder across the road, facing into Parliament square. Directly behind us is Westminster bridge, packed full of people. Next to and above us are six police horses, two of the riders have loud-hailers. Every 30 seconds or so, they repeat this "The bridge is closed. There are too many people on the bridge. To avoid a crush the bridge is closed. Move back, take another route."

/ Can everyone move back, the bridge is closed.
Small Eastern European Man \ Can I go on bridge?
/No, sorry, it's closed to stop crushing.
S.E.E.M. \ Why it closed?
/ (pause) To avoid crushing.
S.E.E.M. \ Oh. (stands thinking for a moment) My brother is on there.
/ He can come off but you can't come on.
S.E.E.M. \ Okay. Can I go get him?
/ No.
S.E.E.M. \ I'll call him and he come over
/ Good idea
S.E.E.M. moves away only to be replaced by another very similar looking man
\ I need to get on the bridge.
/ Sorry. The bridge is closed, there's too many people on it. You can't go on the bridge.
\ But I am only one, I will not crutch I promise.
/ If I let you through everyone else will want to come through.
\ I no understand, speak little English.
/ You can't come on the bridge (louder).
\ Oh. I go another way?
/ Yes.
\ K, thank you, happy new year.
/ Happy new year.
Second male squeezes back into crowds
Only to be replaced by Drunk E.E.M.
D.E.E.M. \ Can I go on the bridge?
/ The bridge is closed. We're only letting people off, you'll have to go a different way.
\ Where different way?
/ To your left or right, there are more bridges that are still open.
\ I no know where these bridges are.
/ (pause) To the left or right, they're not far.
\ I not come on this bridge? My brother is on there.
/ (sigh) No sorry. Your brother can come off but you can't go on.
\ (pointing behind me) There my brother! He there, he's waving, can I go on?
/ No.
D.E.E.M. pushes his way through crowds as he leaves in a huff.
Drunk Tatooed Man approaches, pushing his hair out of his eyes and curling it behind his ears, I notice he's cluching a phone. He attempts to continue walking straight through me.
D.T.M. \ I'm trying to get on the bridge.
/ I know, but I'm stopping you. No-one else is allowed on the bridge, it's closed to stop a crush, there's already to many people on there.
\ But my girlfriends on there.
/ She can come off, but we're not letting anyone else on.
\ Can I go and get her then?
/ No. (nodding down towards his phone) Why don't you call her?
\ Huh? (looks down confused, then looks surprised to see he's holding a phone in his hand). I can't I haven't got any credit.
/ Oh. Who are you with?
\ My girlfirend!
/ No, who is your service provider. (secretly hoping he says my girlfriend, again. Chuckle).
\ Oh, it's O2.
/ Do you get any free calls with them when you run out of credit?
\ No.
/ Oh.
\ You must be on double or triple time!
/ No.
\ Oh.. (pause, while he is obviously trying to think of more topics of conversation). I don't envy you working tonight, you must have to deal with some really annoying drunk people.
/ Yep!
\ I'm going to wait here.
/ Okay mate, no problem.
LOUD CHEERS BEGIN AND CONTINUE AS THE WHOLE CROWD LOOKS UP OVER MY HEAD AT BIG BEN
I'm assuming that was when 2005 began.. or Father's for Justice struck again.
Tom (colleague next to me) / Happy New Year.
/ Happy New Year mate.
LOUD BANGS START AND THE CROWDS BEGIN TO GASP AND SIGH
I'm assuming this was when the fireworks began.. or Police Marksmen downed the Fathers for Justice chap.
D.T.M. is still stood in front of me with a fixed drunken gaze over my shoulder.
/ How do they look?
\ I can only see a few.. there's a green one.. there's an orange one.. now there's a red one.. a green one again..
/ Are you looking at the traffic lights?
\ Huh?
/ Nothing.
\ I can't see my girlfriend.
/ No? What about the fireworks?
\ I can't see them either really.
/ Right.
\ Happy new year Sir.
/ Happy new year mate, (as he pushes his way into the crowd) good luck finding your girlfirend.
He either acknowledged me with a wave or attempted to swear at me, I'm still not sure.
THE HORSES THEN PROCEED TO START GETTING JITTERY AND I CAN HEAR THEM REARING UP AND CLATTERING ABOUT BEHIND ME.
THE CROWDS BEGIN TO GASP AND SIGH.. again.

to be completed...