The magic of the Up Escalator at Oxford Circus

I was back in the office today after a few days off sick, and there were delays on the Northern Line too, so I was feeling very 'Monday morning-ish'. I'd only managed to stick one sticker on the way to work, which wasn't very good at all. Although it was on Wallace, and I like him. But as I travelled on the Up escalator at Oxford circus I started to smile at what I saw, this was the escalator of chewing gum nose fame. The chewing gum nose posters had been replaced at the end of last month, most posters seem to be replaced monthly... (Useful info for would-be-stickerers out there.)

As I travelled upwards I saw that almost every poster on the Up escalator had a chewing gum mouth now! Or, and this was even stranger, some had a cheeky little hand drawn, smiling, winking face stickers! What was this all about? I had no idea, but it certainly made me smile to see so much stickering silliness all centered on one special Up Escalator.

I was pleased to see there was still an IWAA sticker on this escalator too, although one edge was slightly prised away from the poster. The sticker hadn't been removed, but I felt as if the mystery escalator stickerer's message might have been, 'I could remove this sticker if I wanted, but I will let it stay for now.' Thank you, mystery stickerer, if you're reading this!

I am certainly going to go to the office via Oxford Circus tomorrow, rather than taking the Northern Line to Tottenham Court Road. I love the magic of that Up Escalator!

I'm still trying to work out those winks, and chewing gum mouths, what does it all mean? It must mean something surely? Was the chewing gum on the mouth supposed to say 'There's room for a sticker on my nose?' And those winks, well they were excellent! I like winks, er.. why not?

So I was still smiling, and feeling almost giggly as I headed down Oxford Street. And as I smiled my big smile I remembered that I was supposed to do my smiling mission on the way to work! I really had completely forgotten. I'd been preoccupied with a bit of a personal dilemma instead, ok, as you seem like nice people I'll share. I was wondering whether or not I was ready to start dating again. I felt strongly that the answer was 'No, I'm not'. But the question had been asked... and it was asked by someone I liked a lot, someone who always makes me smile... So I'd told him yes. And it was all still sinking in. So you see, I had a different sort of 'smiling adventure' to think about as I headed to work this morning.

Don't worry though, I will smile myself silly all the way home, and I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

I hid stickers in books at Borders, Oxford Street if anyone wants some. They're hidden in these books for no particular reason.I was in a bit of a rush in my lunch hour and looking for largish books that were unlikely to be disturbed.

The stickers are in the following books (relevant section of the store in brackets) -

Sex Lives of the Romans (Humour)
English Puddings, sweet and savoury, by Mary Norrak (Jamie Oliver)
The Cat Detective, signed. (Cats)
Louis Theroux, signed. (Travel)

Just find the stickers and stick them on poster noses, It's easy. And you never know, you may even make an escalator turn magic.