Had To Save the Feet!

Friday I miss my train by 2 minutes! That’s it! Two minutes. I left my office at 5:21. I have 9 minutes to make my train. I could either run eight tenths of a mile in 90 plus degree heat or I could take the T and chance it.

I took the T. I went in the State Street entrance and as I am coming down to the platform, a train pulls in. I totally have a shot at making my train now! We all pile into the T and head towards North Station. We stop at Haymarket and no one gets off. The doors close and I am psyched that we are on our way. Every last second counts right now.

As we approach North Station, people start lining up at the door in their “On your mark. Get set. GO!” stances. People are already telling people to get out of their way so they can run to the train. I look down at my feet and realize I have flip flop gladiators on. I am sporting flip flop gladiators because I was a dancing diva at a wedding the previous weekend and obtained some awesome blisters (and by awesome, I really mean hideous and painful) and the only shoes that would avoid making my blisters worse were flip flop gladiators.

I am instantly bummed. I am probably not going to make my train. I refuse to run amongst the herds in open toed shoes… period and I will tell you why.

A few years back, I was in a similar situation. Everyone was in the “On your mark. Get set. GO!” stance on the train. Including me! As the doors opened, we all dart out toward the escalator. I am almost to the top when a guy in a suit throws me out of his way and my foot got jammed in the escalator. My big toe got mangled! I continued on running and  I did make my train that particular day. I was so enraged with adrenaline that I pushed through my pain to make the train. There was no way I was getting an injury like that and being left behind on the platform. NO WAY!

When I took my seat on the train that day, I grabbed a tissue from my purse and threw it over my toe. I am squeamish so that was all I could do. I didn’t feel like passing out on the train so I waited until I got home to deal with it.

After I got home and cleaned up my toe, I was a hobbling mess. I informed my husband that after dinner that night, we’d be going out to purchase a pair of steal toed boots. He then told me that I was over reacting and that steal toed boots didn’t exactly go with skirt suits. In the name of fashion, I agreed with him and we settled on finding a cute pair of rubber toed tennis shoes.

Since that day, no matter how hot it is, I have worn closed toed shoes every day! Every day until last week! So, to reduce further injury to my feet on Friday, I speed walked to the platform behind the herd of runners from the T and I missed the train by the skin of my teeth. My big toe thanked me but my weekend started about 20 minutes later than usual. I guess ya gotta do whatcha gotta do!

Move it or I'll Lose it!

Ya know what I can’t stand? People who walk slow! I’m not talkin’ about someone with a broken foot or a good reason to walk slow but the fully able bodied person that can’t seem to get out of anyone’s way because they are too stupid to realize other people have places to go. This morning, coming off the train, I was stuck behind a couple walking annoyingly slow. They looked able bodied. I tried to pass them. However, when I swerved to the left to go around them, they swerved slowly to the left too. I then swerved to the right to try and get around them. They swerve back over to the right. They were just wondering, taking in the sights, which is fine but not during the morning rush people!! We finally get on the escalator to head down to the Orange and/or Green line (My destination was Orange, God only knows where they were going). They stand on the escalator two by two completely blocking the left side which is generally reserved for… you guessed it, passing! Everyone knows this! Come on people, a little escalator etiquette please?

One guy behind me screams to the guy to move it and he finally get’s the hint but he doesn’t move over enough for someone to pass. He leaves his huge bag in the way. We get to the bottom and at the bottom, when we’re supposed to be walking; they decide to look through their bags for their train pass. Ya couldn’t find this while you were stopped dead killing time on the escalator?

The finally they get the hint and pull off to the side and I booked it toward the Orange line and made my merry little way to the office. Fun Fun on the T today!

Nicely Played

This morning, unlike yesterday, being skinny among not-so-skinny people worked to my advantage. I ran down the stairs at North Station to catch the T going toward Forest Hills. If I didn't catch it, I was waiting five or more minutes for the next one. As I ran down the steps, I notice the train is packed! I also spot a small little spot on the edge that I am sure I could squeeze in to. I then notice about three people hovering around that spot and then back up as if to say they give up.

I run over to them and say "Do you mind?" as I motion to the spot (If they could have fit there, there is no way in hell I would have taken that spot! You take the last spot on the T like that and you are gonna make some enemies). They motion for me to go ahead. I jump on the T in that tiny little spot that they weren't going to fit in and bang into a guy who is already boarded and holding on to the hand rails. "I'm so sorry!" I tell him. "No problem. That was nicely played! Well done!" Triumphantly I tell him "Thank you." as the doors close immediately behind me.

It's a better start to my day today and hopefully the day continues on nicely.

Singing in the Train! Singing in the Train...

This morning I hop on at North Station and we stop a few minutes later at Haymarket. One lady gets on the train and says to everyone "Wake up everybody! It's a great day to be alive!" We are all grasping our coffee mugs as if they are life lines. We are all quiet and somber and no one says a word. Another guy tries to pile in to the already packed train. "Come on Mister! We have room! Room for everyone on this fine day." She says in the most cheerful voice and at 7am you just want to kick her.

The guy looks at her and squeezes on. "It's so quiet in here." he says to her. Clearly, he doesn't ride the train often because the train in the morning is full of coffee deprived people who can barely form a sentence until that cup of coffee from Starbucks in their hands has been drained into their mouths. The doors close and we continue to State.

"Yes it is quiet. Let's sing a song! What do you want to sing?" She asks and once again in a cheery voice that makes you just wanna... you guessed it, kick her! AND now that we're moving, it wouldn't be so far fetched to kick her on "accident". However, I refrain because I know I am getting off in thirty seconds.

They go back and forth on what they would like to sing. They are just about to Que up when I hear "State. Doors open on the left!" Phew! I dodged a bullet there. I did not want to hear singing prior to finishing my life line in my hands also known as coffee!!

Happy Marathon Monday!

It’s marathon Monday and most of the Bostonian’s have today off as it is Patriots Day. I completely forgot it was a holiday as I am in the world of finance and if the stock market isn’t closed, neither are we. I hopped in my car and went to the train station this morning. On my way over there, I heard the announcer on 98.5 suggest that all the people heading into the city for the Marathon, use the T or Commuter Rail. I thought “Great! This is going to be interesting.” I pull into the train station and get a great parking spot (Score!). When I get to the platform, there are a few people I recognize but most have the day off. Everyone else had on “tourist gear”. A sox game and a marathon! It’s a great day in Boston today!!

As the train approaches, it stalls about 100 feet from the platform. I hate when the train is in sight and you can’t get on. Fifteen minutes later, we are back in business. The train picks us up and we are on our way. The entire train was full of excited marathon cheer leaders that couldn’t wait to get to the side lines. These people were already jacked up on a caffeine high or just high on life as they would be witnessing some amazing people cross the finish line today.

When I got to North Station, I went to hop on the Orange line. Either the side line cheer leaders didn’t know where to go or they felt like walking but not too many people were around when I got on the orange line. It was the first time in a while that I had gotten on the T and it wasn’t packed like sardines. It was spacious this morning and I realized that it’s harder to keep your balance with all your space then it is when you’re packed in. I held on to the rail extra tight and planted my feet firmly to the ground. This driver liked her breaks and I wasn’t about to let myself go flying down the aisle like I’ve seen some people do in the past.

I hope everyone has a great day today and I really hope those runners stay hydrated and cool with the weather approaching record highs. About 4,000 people have dropped out of the race (roughly 26,000 remain) and I don't blame those 4,000 one bit.

Jumping off the Train

Apparently, there is a problem with people jumping off the train before it comes to a complete stop! Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week the conductor announced as we approach North Station "Please wait to get off the train until we are at a complete stop!" This is new for him to say because normally, he doesn't say anything and the tele-prompt just says "Now approaching North Station. Thank you for riding the commuter rail. Please be considerate and remove all bags, cups and newspapers....." However, the last three days he didn't play that message and felt the need to point out that we need to wait for a complete stop before hopping onto that platform.

Well, today he was frustrated and the announcement was "Please wait until the train is at a complete stop. This means that if you are off the train before the conductor, you did not wait until we were at a complete stop! Thank you!"

So, apparently people didn't get that they needed to wait until the train was completely stopped. However, now that he added "This means that if you are off the train before the conductor, you did not wait until we were at a complete stop!" people are really going get it. Can't wait to see what he has to say tomorrow as we approach North Station.

(Image courtesy of Ninja-Theatre.com)

Move Over!

This morning on the way in, the train got a little crowded as we got closer and closer to North Station. People in three seaters tend to sit one on the window and one on the aisle and leave the middle seat open. As people piled in at the last stop, there were many standing in the aisle. Although there were also many aisle seated people in three seaters not willing to move in to the middle seat to allow these people standing in the aisle to actually sit down. All of a sudden you hear a woman scream "Don't you want to move in so he can sit?" she was angry.

I looked up and she was sitting at a window seat in a three seater and she was screaming to the person at the other end of her seat. The guy on the aisle seat looks up dumb founded. Clearly he doesn't know train etiquette. The guy in the aisle says to the girl "No, I'm fine. We're not going far." The guy in the seat moves in anyways and the guy in the aisle looks at him like he is crazy. I think the guy in the aisle was being stubborn and could have sat but didn't. The guy who slid into the middle seat has now slid back into his aisle seat and there is an awkward silence from there until North Station.

So people, when people are standing in the aisle, let them sit if there is a spare seat! This is common sense. Don't be greedy. We all paid the same to ride the train and all deserve a seat if it's available!

No Matter How Bad You Have it (UPDATE)

As some of you may remember, I had an encounter with a man at the train station who touched my heart tremendously. (Link Below)

No Matter How Bad You Think You Have it Someone Else Has it Worse

Today, I had the day off. I took my dog on a great hike in the morning and then wanted to head into the city to get a few things. Everyone wondered why I'd go into the city on my day off but I wanted to grab fresh veggies at Haymarket and dessert for tonight at Mike's Pastries in the North End. I caught the 12:35pm train into the city and rode along with all the tourists who were heading into the city also. I got into the city at about 1pm and went straight to Mike's. After that I flew through Faneuil Hall to pick up a few things and then straight to Haymarket. 

After getting everything in Haymarket that I needed, I had minimal time to get back to the train which was leaving at 2:10pm. I walked to North Station. I was in an exploring mood so I took a different street that runs parallel to the normal street I take. I am walking briskly when a man screams out "HEY!!" I am caught off guard. I look at him trying to place how it is that I know him. I do a quick top to bottom once over and it isn't until I see his shoes that I know who it is.

It's the guy from the train station back in February! The homeless guy who was going to kill himself after he relished his last meal, a slice of pizza. He sat next to me that day by chance. I told him that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that I really hoped he didn't take his life.

I look back up at him standing in the street. He's got a brand new jacket, is holding a cell phone and has gel in his hair. I smile at  him "Hi there! How ARE you??" I am so excited to see that he is alive!!

"You remember me right? I had... " he looks around to see a few people walking by "pizza next to you a while back"

"How could I forget? I am so glad you're ok! How are things panning out?" I reply.

"You were right. I can't thank you enough for just talking to me. I have my room at the shelter. I am working part time. I have my own cell phone again. Thank you! You heading to the train?"

"I am. Catching the 2:10" I say with a huge smile on my face.

"You better run. I'm glad I bumped into you. I can't thank you enough. I was in a bad place and you, a strang-ah pulled me through. Thank you."

"No problem! I knew you had it in you! I'm glad I bumped into you too. Enjoy your weekend." I wanted to cry with tears of joy. HE IS ALIVE! HE IS OK! I was so happy I practically skipped the rest of the way to the train!

Hot Mess!

Every night as I head into the train station,  I check the board to see what track I need to head to. Once The board displays my track number, I head the the track but before I enter onto the platform, I make sure that the screen says Lowell. Then, usually I recognize the conductor and he's usually screaming "Express train to Lowell". Once I have passed all those things, it is safe to say that's the train I need to be on. I hop on board and find a seat, grab my book and am good to go.

Once we depart North Station the loud speaker says "This is the train to Haverhill making the following station stops..." The entire train car is in a panic! We are all expecting to be heading to Lowel! What the??? There is no conducter in our train car so we sit in panic mode until a conductor enters and screams "This IS the train to Lowell. You can stop panicing!" Thank goodness we were all on the right train. I have gotten on the wrong train before and it is not fun. However, when I was on the wrong train, I got off at the first stop after I realized I wasn't heading in the right direction, walked into the first bar I saw and waited for my ride to come get me. What do you do when you get on the wrong train? Order yourself a martini that's called "A Hot Mess"... which was rather delish by the way!