Last night's commute was the kind you don't want to repeat too often. The train heading downtown was quite late due to police action at another stop. I arrived downtown just when my train home was scheduled to leave. I went running to the train, which I could see was still there and still boarding -- when I realized I didn't have my pass. I had left it on the other train!
Now, you have to visualize the downtown station. It's a big cavernous station with 14 tracks coming in, all in a line. I really didn't know which track I had arrived on, so I had to do some running around and questioning conductors just to figure out what train to check. I finally located the train just as it was closing its doors to clean up, and one conductor tried to throw me out, but the other one recognized me and heard my plea that I had left my pass on the train -- and not just this month's pass, but next month's too, tucked into the same holder. He told me to wait and he would do a quick check. And he found it! Glory be! Saved me over $100 right there.
Well, by this time, my other train was LONG gone. Not only that one, but the one scheduled after it. There was one more train heading north, but it doesn't stop at my station. Nevertheless, I took it, because I didn't know how late the next one might be. I called my son and left a message asking him to pick me up at the D station. He didn't get the message until later. So, I arrived at D station, on the hottest day of the year, wearing shoes that were already blistering my feet, and facing a two-mile walk home. (Oh, and I had no cash for a taxi.)
I did have a first aid kit in my bag, and I taped up my feet the best I could with band-aids. Still, only a few blocks later I knew it would be too painful to make that walk. But I was walking by a North Face store, and I had the inspiration to go in and look for a pair of thick socks. I found them -- SmartWool socks, which were $20 a pair. (!) I bought a pair and put them on and it was like magic. My feet were protected, and the walk was doable. I made it home, with one stop for a cooling bottle of 7-Up.
It was 7:00, and I had left work at 4:00.
More excitement this morning. I almost missed the train because I blew a fuse by plugging in my flat iron. After I reset it, the aquarium filter didn't re-start, so I had to prime the pump with more water to get it going, since I couldn't leave the fish all day without aeration. Made the train in the nick of time -- hair unkempt, no make-up, huffing and puffing.
This commute is getting to me!
In other news, my other spending yesterday included $6 for lunch, and $100 sent to my son in Florida, who broke his glasses and couldn't see to fly without getting new ones -- immediately. He and his wife are getting back on their feet but needed a little help with this one, and I was glad to do it. It is a loan, but I'm not going to stress about getting it back.
Tonight I'm meeting friends for dinner at a favorite Mexican restaurant. I'm really looking forward to a relaxing evening with good food and conversation! I hope I have no adventures to report tomorrow.
Wild Trip Home
August 28th, 2013 at 03:19 pm
August 28th, 2013 at 03:48 pm 1377704936
August 28th, 2013 at 03:54 pm 1377705242
Funny you mention the train issue ... the BNSF line had nonfunctional gates at 6:15 PM on Fairview. I had to be at school by 6:40 and it took me 25 minutes to go 1.5 miles because police were manually holding the gates up letting cars through one and a time, and there was a long freight train, too.
Hope the ride is better today!
August 28th, 2013 at 04:10 pm 1377706215
EC, I think I will put SmartWool socks on my Christmas list!
August 28th, 2013 at 09:48 pm 1377726512
August 28th, 2013 at 09:50 pm 1377726651
anyhoo, glad you got your train pass back and your commutes get better.
August 29th, 2013 at 04:15 am 1377749736
August 29th, 2013 at 01:20 pm 1377782403
August 29th, 2013 at 10:02 pm 1377813721