Unto the number 394 single deck bus in Hackney, a boy has been born! We can imagine the duo behind Bus-Tops having a lot of fun with this... Mother of three Emiloju Fatima Lawal went into labour with her fourth child on Tuesday this week, on the number 394 near Mare Street. Once it became clear he was going to make an appearance right there and then, the bus was parked, an ambulance called and the delivery begun.The baby boy was delivered safely and seemingly with very little trouble, brought gently into the world by driver Pauline Jacobs and fellow passenger Carole Allen.
And what has the 7.5 lb boy been named? Olatidebe Dennis Agboola, the Dennis in honour of the manufacturer of the bus, Dennis Specialist Vehicles. It's not to be Routemaster or Number 394, though those could be very cool middle names for getting a seat on a crowded journey. He's the first ever child born on a London bus so he's sorted for London kudos for... well, forever.
Contractions, pain, stress, screaming, making the last agonising push at the end of a long pregnancy... The capitalisation in the following quote imbues a whole other meaning to the event, which is delightful in a rather depressing way:
"A man asked if I was OK, I said 'No, I'm in Labour.' "
Congratulations to everybody!
Image author's own
