Hot or Not! Say Cheese!

I just might be ditching my commuter shoes in about a week. Breaking news! A new website is launching called BostonTcrush.com . The idea of this website is for people to take candid pictures of unsuspecting people on the T who they think are hot. They then, get to post the pictures to this site and others can go on and rate the person in the photo! With noiseless camera phones, I am freaking out. What if someone takes a picture of me or I am an innocent by standard to a photo and I have my commuter shoes on along with my “hideous marshmallow” coat that keeps me toasty warm. EEK! I can’t take this kind of pressure!  I have heard however, that you can contact the site if your picture is taken and request that they remove the photo and they will but still… I don’t think I like this. Yes, I blog about the crazies and the weirdo’s on the train. However, I don’t take their picture and give their identities away… I am nice about it. I don’t think Fat Bastard or El-Creep-O would be flattered if they figured out they were them in my blog.

You can catch the full story of this launching site at:

http://www.metro.us/boston/local/article/1083483--say-cheese-mbta-riders-boston-t-crush-launches-this-week

'Often I'd take out my magnifying glass and stare into the chaos that was her face.' - David Sedaris

This morning I had the lovely pleasure of sitting behind a woman who was inspecting her hands and nails with a magnifying glass. What could she have possibly been looking for? I just don't understand. Was she inspecting her weekend manicure? Was she a hand model? Judging by her face, a hand model was her only shot at modeling (I know I'm harsh but seriously, not everyone is cut out to model. OK?)! I thought this was rather strange.

Once I opened up my book and started reading because I just couldn't look through that magnifying glass anymore, she whips out a compact and starts inspecting her face. Holding the magnifying glass to her chin area and looking at it through her compact mirror. Since I have come to the conclusion that she couldn't possibly be a model-model, I had to write it off as a quirky OCD! We all have them and hers was magnifying her imperfections or at least trying to find her imperfections. I feel that if you can't see imperfections with the naked eye, they aren't there!

Pick Pockets on the Commuter Rail

In a previous post, I discussed the proper etiquette of being a train commuter. Pertaining to what I have just heard, there is yet another reason why you should not sleep on the train! To refresh your memory, below is Etiquette Tip #7:

 

Train Etiquette Tip #7- Sleeping

Do not sleep on the train if you are a:

·        Snorer

·        Sleep talker

·        Sleep walker

·        Sleep Snuggler

No one wants to hear you snoring or speaking sweet nothings to no one and by all means, we do not want you snuggling up to us!

 

Aside from being a snorer, sleep talker, sleep walker and sleep snuggler there is one other problem that is very real and never occurred to me. Someone else! Yes, while you are sleeping someone else has the power. I recently read that a man sat next to a lovely woman who had fallen asleep. This man, opened her purse and stole her wallet. Upon getting to the station, she awoke to find her purse still open and her wallet missing. When she started to balk about it, another passenger who had witnessed this man rummaging through her purse pointed the culprit out. They then went to the conductor and the brave conductor forced the culprit to hand over the wallet and money. People are desperate right now and it is becoming very real that people don't have their own funds. Be careful when you are riding the train. Stay alert and don't fall victim of these jerks that go after the easy score. Had it not been for someone witnessing him in the act, this woman may not have gotten anything back!

 

 

Underwear from a Vending Machine!

You can buy underwear from a vending machine in South Station! Really! I am not joking. This is great for business people on the go or transients that don't have a way to get to a local Target (Not that Target is the ideal place to purchase underwear but you catch my drift.)The protesters of Occupy must have loved this machine since they were camped out across the street for quite some time with no way of doing laundry.

These underpants are nothing flattering but they get the job done. What I'd like to know is if they are one size fits all? You really have to be desperate if you are willing to purchase underwear from a vending machine. I'm sure we've all been there traveling thinking "Gee, I really could use another pair of underwear!"

This vending machine also dispenses T-Shirts, socks and sunglasses but what really takes the cake is the fact that there is a market for underwear coming from a vending machine in a train station. 

Little Italy

As I wrapped up a fabulous evening with my cousin in the North End of Boston, I found myself at the train station at 10:30pm. I don’t think I have been to the train station that late before. I am usually home by then or have a ride home from the city. As I sat and waited to board the 10:40pm train to Lowell, I did some people watching. In a matter of 10 minutes I saw a prostitute, a tranny bike messenger and many people half in the wrapper. There is one guy standing in front of me swaying back and forth and I can’t make out whether he is moving to the beat of his ipod or just trying to hold his balance. When I walked by him to board my train, he did not have ear buds in so it was confirmed that he was just struggling to stay in the upright position.

I finally board the train and there is hardly anyone on it. However, lucky me, I get stuck next to two girls coming from their Zumba work out. Their Zumba work out was recorded and posted on youtube just in time for them to hop on the train and watch it. “Oh she is so good to us. She posts these right away! Let’s watch it and critique so we can be better for next time.” One says to the other. They whip out an ipad and bring it up. They hit play and leave the music still going. Their commentary through out the video is quite entertaining. “Dude, you like so killed it!” “Girl, you gotta work on that left kick. You’re so cute but work on the left ya know?!” “Girl, I lovvvvvve him! Don’t we just dance great together? Amazing. Too bad he is leaving to go dance in Vegas and he’s super gay but I’m sooo fallin’ for him!” When I got off the train their Zumba dance off was still playing and they were still critiquing.

I am glad I had to sit near them instead of the drunk people trying to keep it together. At least those girls were entertaining me on my ride home from a great night.

Meet Fat Bastard!

This woman irritates me to no end. I first met her during my first month of commuting. I was wearing an adorable suede jacket and sitting in a seat for two against the window (Proper train etiquette is to slide all the way in when boarding). This woman sees little ol' me and sits right down. She was so big that when she sat next to me she squished me into the window. I can understand that being big and all, you would want to find a tiny thing so that you have optimal room. However, what irritated me the most was that this woman had a trough of popcorn. Theater style popcorn! The kind that is greasy and full of salt. While she is eating out of her trough, she is being careless. She is eating like she had been stranded on a dessert island and hadn't eaten in weeks. Popcorn grease and salt were spraying everywhere. Now that's just rude! Ruining my tan suede jacket.

That evening, she and I get off at the same stop. Great. She is on the same path as me. This means this could happen again! Grrr. The next few evenings coming home I was safe. However, she found me every once in a while. Probably because I was so easy going about being smooshed against a window with popcorn grease flailing around. I didn't want to be mean so I changed my pattern. At night, I would sit in a seat for two that already had someone in it. That way, I had no shot of sitting with her ever again and this has worked wonderfully!

Typically this woman is never on my morning train. Then, one day I was running late for the morning train. I hadn't seen her on the evening train for a while so I wondered if she had been a victim of this bad economy or even worse... died of a heart attack from all that popcorn grease. I see her boarding the train with a box of munckins. I think that she is so thoughtful to bring her office a morning snack. Oh no, I thought wrong. This woman was poppin' these munchkins like they were M&M's. By the time we got to North Station she had downed the entire box. I thought this couldn't possibly be a daily thing. Although, the popcorn was so you never know. I saw her the next morning with her box of munchkins!

You have to wonder... what makes someone eat like that? I mean really? You have got to feel so horrible A.) about yourself and B.) sluggish and yucky from all that junk. I feel bad for this woman. I mean really, if you are going to eat a trough of popcorn, at least don't spray it all over the innocent person you have pinned against the window!

Yuppie Crossing!

You have to love people who are just angry about everything. Every morning the T is packed to the brim with professional people and every afternoon, the same. During rush hour, professionals take up 99.9% of the T space. We see each other every day and even though we don't know each other or haven't spoken a word to each other, we look out for each other.

Among all of the professionals was a construction worker who must have been riding in to the city late since most construction crew members start their days much earlier than the nine-to-fivers. This construction guy also must have not had his morning coffee, got up on the wrong side of the bed and maybe felt a little out of place because he was angry! Very angry! And there is nothing wrong with construction workers because quite honestly, they are amazing artists...yes artists. They freeze their butts off in the winter and sweat their you-know-what's off in the summer and yet they create some pretty amazing things despite their discomfort.

The T was like it is every morning "sardine packed". This poor construction guy is standing up holding a post to keep his balance. However, in between North Station and Haymarket there is a bend in the tracks which no doubt, if you aren't holding on to something, you will lose your balance. A guy next to him let a girl hold the post instead of holding it himself and he was trying to maintain balance with out holding on to anything. At that bend, he lost balance and bumped into this construction worker. We are maybe thirty seconds away from Haymarket and the construction worker tells the guy "Get off me you f*ckin' yuppie!" The "yuppie" says "I'm sorry man. I let her hold the post instead of me. Just lost my balance that's all." and the construction worker replies with "I'm gonna kick your yuppie a*s!" and starts to remove his oh-so-cool baby blue denim jacket that matched his oh-so-cool baby blue "dad" jeans.

The T is still cruising right along. A few girls and I try to duck for cover as we can envision an elbow to the face since we are right in the middle of this action. The men on the T try to wedge themselves between the ladies and this psycho. The yuppie probably just crapped his Banana Republic-yuppie-pants (not gonna lie, you could tell he was in sheer panic). Just as the construction guy is about the throw a punch, we stop at Haymarket and the doors open. The girls and I step off the train (I am fully prepared to walk the rest of the way to the office if this nut job didn't get off). As we are standing on the platform, the construction guy grabs his sweet denim jacket and says "You f*ckin' yuppies are all lucky this is my stop!" and departs the train in a hasty fashion. The yuppie that most likely just crapped his Banana Republic pants screams after him "You have a nice day!" with a huge, sarcastic smile. "You yuppies are all the same. Never phased by anything!" the construction guy screams from the platform. He turns around and stalks off stomping his feet.

Yuppies may seem like they are never phased by anything but I can guarantee that they  worry just like the rest of us. They just hide it better. The girls and I hop back on the train and one of them announces "Would anyone else like to assault anyone before this train starts moving?" The whole car chuckles, the doors close and we are back to our morning routine.

PS Who says "Yuppie" any more? Really!

New Englanders need 1 of 2 things! Trusty Vehicle or Balls!

If you live in New England you need one of two things.  Either A.) A vehicle that can get through the snow properly or B.) The balls to get your “not-made-for-snow” vehicle through the snow properly! Take your pick but you need one of those two. For instance, I have an SUV. This chick is not getting stuck in a ditch any time soon! However, when you have a vehicle made to get through the snow and you are stuck behind someone that doesn’t obtain either of the two things required for a New Englander, it isn’t helpful!!

 This morning I was stuck behind a tiny little thing of a car. I could have fit it in the trunk of my SUV. This person was driving 10 mph. 10! We only got about an inch and a half of snow. Come on you pussy, drive! This morning, my fiancé kissed me good bye and said “Be sure to give yourself extra time. It snowed last night.” I though to myself “Whatever, I can just plow through this sprinkling no problem.” What I failed to realize was that others couldn’t just plow through it with no problem!

I was stuck behind this person in the rinky dink car the entire way to the train station. I literally pulled into the parking lot, parked wherever I could, locked the doors and ran! The train was already at the station. I ran through the parking lot in all the slush not even caring that it was splashing all over me. My coffee went everywhere… it was shaken, no longer stirred by the time I got to the platform. I ran up two flights of stairs, over the overpass and down two flights of stairs. By the time I got to the bottom, I was shocked that the doors were still open. I jumped on the train and sat down.

While getting situated, the train shut the doors and takes off. At that very moment I realize, I never put the E-break on! Oh…My…GOD!!! Really… the train is taking off and I don’t know if my vehicle is rolling around the parking lot! I am just praying I left it in first gear!

Meanwhile, I feel a slight burn on my leg. I look down and the slush I had run through in the parking lot had plenty of salt in it. If you have ever seen an overly salted area, it would be the train station. It is as if a gravel truck came and dumped a load of gravel and they spread it out. The MBTA is taking no chances when it comes to slip and falls. Well, that salt ended up on my leg. It’s burning like crazy. I try to wipe it off with my gloved hand but to no avail, the salt is stuck to my nylons. I don’t have any wipes… OK, OK, I had a wipe. However, it was a feminine wipe in my purse and there was no way in hell I was whipping that out of my purse on a train full of men. My leg could burn off before I waved that thing around.

By continually pulling my nylons and letting go, the slush-slash-salt mixture dried and stopped burning. Thank goodness. By the time I got to North Station, my leg was fine. However, this would have never happened if the driver of the rinky dink car had balls and I’d like to point out that said driver of rinky dink car that had no balls did NOT make the train! Nope! She didn’t have the balls to run through the slush either! It serves her right for being a wimp. So there!

Morning Rush!

On my way into work this morning on the Orange line, we seem to have some technical difficulty with the doors. I get on at North Station and head toward Forest Hills (Or as the loud speaker says it “Fow-Rest Hills”) I hop on the T and it is a sardine packed train for sure. I am lucky I got on! We go one stop to Haymarket. When we stop, I have to get off the train to let people off at their stop and get back on. So, I let a few people off and hop back on. Then the doors close. Then open. Then close. Then open. I am packed in tightly with strangers and we aren’t going anywhere. A girl looks at me and goes “This isn’t a good sign is it?”

It turns out that the train car in front of us was having a door problem and since it is connected to the button that controls all the doors, now all doors have the same problem because none of them will close and stay closed. People grow irritated as we wait for what seems like forever and they want to leave the train so I have to get off the train to let them off. As I am getting back on the train, the driver is trouble shooting the doors. However, she doesn’t start trouble shooting until I am smack dab in the middle of the doorway. Surely this wasn’t on purpose but it sucked. My back pack is getting slammed. The doors keep going open and shut, open and shut. All I can think of is my Italian leather stilettos from Saks getting pummeled inside my bag. To save my shoes I step back onto the platform since I couldn’t cram back on the train at that time. SLAM! Instead of my back pack-slash-stiletto’s being pummeled, it is now my rib cage! People gasp and start cursing the T driver telling her to be more careful. Obviously she can’t hear them but it makes them feel better about the wind being knocked out of me. There is usually a mechanism that stops the doors from slamming object but I am willing to guess that sensor-slash-mechanism is what was broken!

The next time someone wants to get off the train while there is a problem with the door, they can chill. I am staying put!

Meet El-Creep-O

This morning I had to do something that I haven’t had to do in a while… Run for the train! I got stuck at a traffic light which held me up just enough to screw with my usual perfect timing. As I was running with a few others, a brave man stood on the platform to hold up the train. He wouldn’t board and the train had to wait! Thank goodness for him. Otherwise I would have had another human popsicle moment waiting for the next train to come.

In my rush to get on the train and get seated, I mistakenly sat near “El Creep-O”. Let’s take a minute and meet El Creep-O shall we?

El Creep-O (Person)- A man that I see on a daily basis. He gives me the creeps hence, why I named him El Creep-O. He seems like the strong silent type. He dresses in business-casual every day, has thick black wavy hair that is always groomed impeccably, and has perfect posture. El Creep-O always seems to find his way over to where I am. He manages to always find me no matter how often I try to “change it up”. Even though he always finds me, we have never spoken aside from “Thank you.” and “You’re Welcome.” He always is chivalrous and lets me go in front of him to get on the train. I say “Thank you” he says “You’re welcome” that’s it. I wonder if he thinks those are the only words I know and that I am some Russian foreigner like the people at the airport thought I was the other day…Anyways…..  I have recently discovered he drives a Kia with a Jesus fish plastered to the back of it (Not that there is anything wrong with that. I just don’t want a Jesus fish on my car). Now, every time he looks at me with his beady brown eyes and smiles, I envision him thinking “I’ll pray for you.” This confuses me that he is a devoted Christian because in the evening I have seen him at North Station with various girls shamelessly flirting. This makes me confused because now I can’t tell if he is a womanizer or if these girls are thinking “Oh it’s just El-Creep-O. He means no harm. He goes to church every Sunday and has a Jesus fish on his Kia”. We’ve all been there… the guy you think is completely harmless when he in fact… isn’t!

So, now that you have met El Creep-O, you know why I hate sitting anywhere near him on the train. It’s a half an hour of grueling self consciousness. Not because I care what he thinks, because he stares at me the entire ride. It’s annoying really!  

Since Christmas already passed, I am thinking of getting him this hat for Easter! HUH!

Muggers in the Subway!

Last night I mentioned I'd figure out the subway today. Well after I wrote about my attempt at taking the subway in NYC yesterday, I got suckered into watching the news because I heard "Storm Watch" and grew concerned as to how I'd get back to Boston. I stayed up and watched the news just so that I could watch and see what this "storm" was all about. One of the stories that came on before the weather was "Muggers in the Subway". Apparently there are guys going from stop to stop mugging unsuspecting subjects. After hearing that lovely piece of information I have decided to be smart. Since I'd be looking at subway maps, it's dark out and I'd be without my pepper spray, I think it would be smart to just cab it until someone can show me the subway. Fortunately, many of my bosses previously lived in NYC so the next time I am here with them, I will ask one of them show me. One of my bosses in particular prefers we take the subway to cut down on expenses for the company so he will be delighted to show me. He has already shown one of the other Boston guys the ropes of the subway for that very reason because it is truly so easy, you just have to learn the ropes first. My other option is if the next time I am in the city and it's day light, I will attempt it on my own. I hate to sound like a chicken but I will play it safe. I lose all my street-smart confidence when my pepper spray isn't residing in my purse. 

New York, New York

It has been quite the week so far. I am at a conference in New York and am fortunate enough to be within walking distance from The New York Palace where the conference is being held. So, unfortunately for the purpose of my blog, I haven't been able to ride the train.

This evening,I wanted to be adventurous and stray away from the same three blocks that I have resided in for the last three days. I ended my day at the conference and went back to my hotel, changed and decided to take the train to the other side of Manhatan to grab a bite to eat. Well, that didn't pan out! New Yorks Subway system at first, didn't seem as organized as Bostons T. I'll elaborate:

I went into the station closest to my hotel. Lexington. I walked down the stairs and saw revolving doors that looked like they belonged in a prison. In Boston, we have delightful little gates that open on their own so you don't have to touch them. These, you had to touch and I was wearing cream colored gloves. Not happy about this so far.

I look around for a machine or an attendant so that I can pay. To my surprise, there was no way to pay. I saw people sliding cards through a card reader. I waited until no one was around and whipped out my credit card. Surely they must be swiping credit cards. That was the only logical way right? Wrong! Hence why I waited until no one was around. I didn't want to look like an idiot! I turned around and walked back up the stairs to the street. As I'm walking up the stairs a street thug whistles at me and screams (as I am the only one walking up the stairs) 'Mmm Mmm girl. Aren't you a sexy little thing! Mmm Mmm.' I look around to make sure he is talking to me. I have a pimple on my face and am confused. Does he not see my blemish? This guys goes on 'I'm taw-lking to you baby girl! You are so fine!' I smile and continue walking. This is when I realize my pepper spray didnt make it past security at Logan.

As I got about a block away from the shady street thug, I collected my thoughts. I was thinking that Boston would never have a T station that didn't allow you to pay right before you entered. You don't have to have a prepaid pass to get through and then it hit me: THE station I go through to get home every single day did not have a way to pay before you entered. It is strictly prepaid cards only at that gate. Since I buy a monthly pass I never noticed that the T entrance I use every day could be inconvenient for tourists.

As these thoughts went through my head, I decided I was starving and needed to eat. I stumbled upon a pizza shop and got some manacotti and garlic knots to go. I'll figure out the subway tomorrow!

Spit Bath

On the commuter rail this morning a husband and wife boarded the train. The train was packed so by the time they got on, there were no more seats left so they stood in the aisle near my seat. I thought it was so sweet of them to commute together. The woman was dressed in a lovely black pea coat and light blue scarf with matching gloves. The guy in a camel colored pea coat with a matching Burberry scarf. How cute right? WRONG! Ladies take note as this unfolds. They are chit chatting about their son and how cute he is and how he can count and what he did this morning in the high chair while she was in the shower. Blah Blah Blah… heart warming really. Until she does this: She notices the guy has something on his face. She removes her powder blue glove, licks her finger and uses that licked finger to clean it off his face! The whole train sees that. Business men, this poor guys piers, see that. NOTHING crushes a mans ego like the licked finger cleaning approach. Ladies, I know it’s a “mom instinct” to do this and fine, do it to your kids (and I can guarantee they hate this too) but don’t do it to your man. Keep him a MAN! Don’t flush his ego down the drain in front of piers or even in the privacy of your own home. This tactic is strictly for kids. Not for grown men.  That’s it. The End. Don’t clean your man’s face with your spit!

"Stupid is Forever, Ignorance Can Be Fixed" - Don Wood

This is not an etiquette tip. This is a common sense tip! When riding, boarding, disembarking, or waiting for a train, make sure your mobile phone is secure! This morning on my way in, I was arriving at

State Street

thinking “This morning went off with out a hitch. No crazies on the train. No mishaps.” Then, I hear “

State Street

. Doors open on the Left.” As the crowd started to leave the (vocab word coming up) sardine-packed-train a girl listening to her ear buds (I am convinced she was fake listening though because she would have caught on much sooner had she been listening) got caught on the doors. She continued walking and her ear bud cord kept going. However, her mobile was still attached to the door. The cord finally snapped off the mobile and the mobile went flying. It hit MY knee and bounced on to the floor and bounced again, not into the train but almost. The mobile bounced into the 3 inch gap between the train and the platform. The entire train and the people on the platform go “UUHHHH!” as if they were watching a very dangerous stunt at the circus. This girl continues walking, hence why I believe she was fake listening to her ear buds because had she actually been listening, when her music cut out, she would have known immediately that her phone was detached. After she hears the crowd roar, she turns around in sheer panic “Is that a phone?” frantically checking her pockets “That’s my phone! Oh MY GOD! That’s MY phone!!!” She runs over to the gap to try looking for it. She is now holding up the train. People are blocked on the train and people can’t board the train because she is just sitting there staring at her phone below on the tracks. I wanted to stick around to see how it panned out. However, that mobile bounced off MY knee! I didn’t want to stick around and get any blame. I trotted off to the office and will never know if she got her phone back or not but people… common sense, secure that mobile!

Got Bed Bugs?

Today was much more frigid than any other day this winter. It was 7 degrees out this morning and it warmed up to a whopping 23 degrees by the time I had to go home. Since it was so cold today, the T was infiltrated with masses of people. It was equivalent to when it's raining out. This creates what I call a "sardine packed train".

Sardine-Packed-Train (Noun)- A Train packed to the brim with minimal space between passengers.

As I was squished into the train, I found a comfy place in the crook of some guys arm pit (This is normal for commuters and people generally don't mind, as long as they get to where they are going). Thank goodness he follows train etiquette rule #1 (Good Hygiene). Just as I am starting to feel grateful for my little sardine spot, I look up to see this ad:

Really? Talk about making a girls skin crawl! I mean CRAWL!! I started itching immediately even though I knew there wasn't a shot in hell I have them. Talk about poor timing.

If Looks Could Kill

So, I just missed my train by 30 seconds! Literally! I was running behind at work due to the fact that I am helping coordinate a conference. There are a lot of moving parts so I have been nonstop all day. I looked at the clock and it was 5:17pm. It takes me 12 minutes to get to the train station on a good day. I quickly threw on my commuter shoes and was out the door. I put my coat, hat and gloves on in the elevator as I went down. Walked a block to the T and boarded no problem. The T arrived in North Station and another girl and I darted up a flight of stairs, neck and neck! We ran along a long hallway and up another flight of stairs! We ran out the door, along the side walk and through the front doors of North Station. We looked at the first schedule board to see what track we were running to. It was blank. We kept running still neck and neck. We came to the second schedule board. Track 6! It was 529! We were 50 feet away! We continue running to the track. Then some IDIOT steps in front of us and blocks us! Can you believe it! Blocked! We try to dodge him and we have no luck what so ever. As we stand behind Idiot-Blocker-Guy the doors to the track close and we see the kabus leaving the station with out us! She looks at me and goes "We should have made that! At least we tried!" and high five's me! Idiot-Blocker-Guy turns around and steps out of our way and says "Oh, do you need to get by?" If looks could kill, this woman went from high-fiving to death stare and I did the same! UGH!! I wanted t scream!!

Train Etiquette Tip #12-

Leave a path for people to get through to the tracks at the train station!!

Happy New Year!!

After a much needed long weekend of doing nothing and a much appreciated low key week before that, the train is back to the daily grind. No more seats to myself, no more spacious T rides. I am packed in with strangers all over again. However, I will say that my day was made this morning. It is official that I am a train commuter which brings us to:

Train Etiquette Tip #11-

Always say “Hello” to the conductor. It is a nice gesture and not to mention, it comes in handy when you forget and/or lose your train pass. When they remember who you are, they let ya slide every once in a while.

Well, my train etiquette tip #11 finally paid off. I did not forget and/or lose my train pass but it was even better. The conductor every morning and every afternoon checks the tickets. He always says “Thanks Hun” to the regulars (OK, the regular ladies). But when he gets to me every day and all the non-regulars he just says thanks. Well, this morning after saying good morning and handing him my pass he said “Thanks Hun!” I’m in! I’m officially a train commuter. The conductor has acknowledged me as one of his regulars which means that should I forget my train pass one day, I’m all set!  Which I won’t because I am very orderly with that sucker… at $151 a month, I’m not losing it because I’d have to re-buy the month again… no way do I want to do that… hmm a pair of shoes or re-buy my train pass? Tough decision… However, if I found myself in the situation of forgetting and/or losing my train pass, I know I’ll be fine.