Suspense on the MBTA
An ill wind blew into town ahead of ominous clouds from the west as I sweated my way from Beacon Hill to the South End/Back Bay Station, intent on not missing the 7:20 train to Wellesley and points west. Disgusting weather. When the wind wasn't gusting dust and trash into my eyes, the air was deafeningly quiet, devoid even of birdsong. The atmosphere heavy with unreleased water. A storm waiting to happen.
I made it to the train ontime - a blessing, as Mr. X was home literally at the last moment, himself sweaty and puffing from hauling himself home in the still heat. Now I'm a captive on rails, no precious internet to rot my brain, no book to distract me, only my iPod and iBook. Oh, the life of the iCommuter.
Apple should create a software package for the iCommute, including some kind of satellite access to the internet for those of us traveling on commuter trains (as opposed to the Acela which is rumored to have WiFi). Some cheeky reader will tell me that I could connect via my cell phone if both it and I were smarter... but we're not.
I'm hoping against hope that the train will get me to Wellesley with a few scant minutes to hike back to the VW dealership and pick up my fabulously tuned up car. Then my worn out tires and I can head home to poach chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar and contemplate bankruptcy.
The oppressive heat has led to a unanimous decision to leave the outer doors of the car open, and I'm sitting here watching the joint between the two cars bounce and sway, feeling the scrap of breeze coming through, and wishing I could do this every day. It's such a nice way to commute.... Calm, passive, even reflective, and I get to record all my musings on my blog for as long as my computer's batteries hold out. 3 hours, 30 minutes more according to the battery monitor.
I'm wondering how long I'll go before the conductor gets to me. It's wishful thinking to think he'll miss me altogether, but it's such a lovely feeling when it happens. A free ride on the MBTA... Trouble is, despite the relatively short nature of this commute, there are about 27 billion stops in Newton and Wellesley alone, so there's plenty of down time for the conductors to do their noble work and collect my $6 (which includes the surcharge for not buying my ticket at the station - no time to stop at a ticket counter!)
My iPod just gave me a treat: La Isla Bonita by Madonna
Despite the heat, there's nothing of La Isla in tonight's weather - I really hope the storm breaks before bedtime. Our room is like an oven. It's just doesn't get cold. Even in winter, it would be 60 when the rest of the house was 50. Imagine it in 80+ degree heat?
Still no conductor, though someone just stumped through and shut all the doors in the joints, so our lovely breeze is gone. Oh, well.
We're out of Newton now, and into Wellesley - Wellesley Farms to be exact, not to be confused with Wellesley Hills or Wellesley Square. Only two more stops to evade both financial loss, and/or a soaking. The breeze coming in (someone opened the doors again!) smells like rain now. I fear I'm in for it. I envy VJ-S, who got herself to Worcester two hours ago on these very rails, long before the threat of weather abuse.
One more stop....
Are you feeling the suspense? Are you hoping I'll make it, or are you one of those sticklers for rules and fares who wants my purse robbed by the MBTA? I tell you, it's $6, but I'm getting a tiny illicit thrill from the possibility of fare evasion.
What a let down it will be when the conductor gets here, huh?
But aha! It's time to put the iBook away and get up to head for the exits... The train is slowing, my stop is being announced... Wish me luck (and dry!)
::time passes::
Safely home from the dealership, I pause to reflect on my luck, despite the fact that I did get caught in the rain, and had to take my flip flops off, as they resembled nothing so much as a pair of slip and slides on my feet, and walk barefoot the last 500 feet. A happy ending for the weary traveler!
I made it to the train ontime - a blessing, as Mr. X was home literally at the last moment, himself sweaty and puffing from hauling himself home in the still heat. Now I'm a captive on rails, no precious internet to rot my brain, no book to distract me, only my iPod and iBook. Oh, the life of the iCommuter.
Apple should create a software package for the iCommute, including some kind of satellite access to the internet for those of us traveling on commuter trains (as opposed to the Acela which is rumored to have WiFi). Some cheeky reader will tell me that I could connect via my cell phone if both it and I were smarter... but we're not.
I'm hoping against hope that the train will get me to Wellesley with a few scant minutes to hike back to the VW dealership and pick up my fabulously tuned up car. Then my worn out tires and I can head home to poach chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar and contemplate bankruptcy.
The oppressive heat has led to a unanimous decision to leave the outer doors of the car open, and I'm sitting here watching the joint between the two cars bounce and sway, feeling the scrap of breeze coming through, and wishing I could do this every day. It's such a nice way to commute.... Calm, passive, even reflective, and I get to record all my musings on my blog for as long as my computer's batteries hold out. 3 hours, 30 minutes more according to the battery monitor.
I'm wondering how long I'll go before the conductor gets to me. It's wishful thinking to think he'll miss me altogether, but it's such a lovely feeling when it happens. A free ride on the MBTA... Trouble is, despite the relatively short nature of this commute, there are about 27 billion stops in Newton and Wellesley alone, so there's plenty of down time for the conductors to do their noble work and collect my $6 (which includes the surcharge for not buying my ticket at the station - no time to stop at a ticket counter!)
My iPod just gave me a treat: La Isla Bonita by Madonna
Despite the heat, there's nothing of La Isla in tonight's weather - I really hope the storm breaks before bedtime. Our room is like an oven. It's just doesn't get cold. Even in winter, it would be 60 when the rest of the house was 50. Imagine it in 80+ degree heat?
Still no conductor, though someone just stumped through and shut all the doors in the joints, so our lovely breeze is gone. Oh, well.
We're out of Newton now, and into Wellesley - Wellesley Farms to be exact, not to be confused with Wellesley Hills or Wellesley Square. Only two more stops to evade both financial loss, and/or a soaking. The breeze coming in (someone opened the doors again!) smells like rain now. I fear I'm in for it. I envy VJ-S, who got herself to Worcester two hours ago on these very rails, long before the threat of weather abuse.
One more stop....
Are you feeling the suspense? Are you hoping I'll make it, or are you one of those sticklers for rules and fares who wants my purse robbed by the MBTA? I tell you, it's $6, but I'm getting a tiny illicit thrill from the possibility of fare evasion.
What a let down it will be when the conductor gets here, huh?
But aha! It's time to put the iBook away and get up to head for the exits... The train is slowing, my stop is being announced... Wish me luck (and dry!)
::time passes::
Safely home from the dealership, I pause to reflect on my luck, despite the fact that I did get caught in the rain, and had to take my flip flops off, as they resembled nothing so much as a pair of slip and slides on my feet, and walk barefoot the last 500 feet. A happy ending for the weary traveler!
posted by Cameron | 8:28 PM
1 Comments:
so one day rian rips off the poor unsuspecting IKEA selling-girl and the next day you rip off the MTBA... what is this world coming too! (Did I ever tell you about the time that Nathan and I evacuated our campsite in South Dakota at 6:30 am -- in the pouring rain -- to avoid paying the fee?)
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