Taking a Trip on the T

                                        Taking a Trip on the T
                                  The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
                                      ( A Hand Guide  for Survival )




      A trip on the T is not such an easy task to get through.  Finding a parking space can be the start of a hellish frustration or a predilection of a pleasant trip.  Pleasant is as good an adjective as we can apply to riding the T.


      Keep in mind that the T is an available mode of transportation designed to reduce stress and the use of extra cars on an already crowded infastructure.  Reducing difficulties such as limited parking as exhorbitant fees,  limiting traffic jams often trapping us in a fury of a trip and  driving in endless circles of one way streets, were considerations studied when they designed the network of tracks and tunnels.

      Arriving at the station has a new set of annoyances.  Often, the new  "improved" Charlie card behaves in a most contrary way.  Just when you think you actually have to see the attendant, the Charlie card lets you in.  The next step of your "accommodating" trip is the lengthy steps, or an escalator not guaranteed to work  Be aware, holding any handrails could be hazardous to your health.  Finally, with a little luck, you reach the platform.

      Reaching the platform is not a cue to relax.  Routine commuters head right to their waiting space as if assigned numbers indicate precisely where they should stand.  The rest of us, occassional riders, seem to know how to fit wherever space can be found.  Soon, ( hopefully ) someone's static laden voice tells us, if we are lucky, that the next train is approaching.  Seconds later,the crackling voice tells us the train is arriving.  The crunch begins as everyone tries to fit into the over crowded cars.  If you are lucky, you may get a seat.  Now, if that seat is the self-proclaimed regular seat of a daily rider, you may feel the glaring eyes of whomever is perceiving you as a seat thief.  Sitting or standing, avoid holding on with unprotected hands for the same grimy, germy reasons already mentioned.

      Daily commuters often believe they are stuffing themselves into rows of sardine cans.  Racing to their familiar seats, they pray that those squished around them, have good hygiene practises.  Of course, you are bound to share your ride with those rude characters.  There are the cell phone compulsive maniacs.  This annoying, self-centered set will talk so loud that you begin to feel as though you are the unwilling participant to one side of an unasked for conversation. 

      Let us not forget the I-pod generation.  With this group you can almost sing along as they blow out their own eardrums, with a volume that seems to have been meant only for the concert goers.

      Oh! oh! oh! There are the sloppy snackers you pray would sit anywhere but next to you.  As if hearing them chew their food isn't bad enough, showing up to work with the spray of a fellow commuter's breakfast on your own suit is quite embarrassing, not to mention, just plain disgusting.

      And how should you feel about the guy with his daily newspaper?  He opens his paper so wide you find the pages nearly across your own lap, feeling compelled to catch an article or two despite the open book in your own hands.

      My personal favorites are the traveling Chuckie dolls,or two, or three. Moms who travel with the adorable monsters, giving no thought, or having no consideration to how annoying her undisciplined offspring are to everyone around them.  When traveling with the inconsiderate, your paid ride can seem quite dismal.

      Let's not forget the joy of the well maintained vehicles and tracks.  This is a maddening example of tax dollars and ever rising costs not utilized with any common sense or possibly even mishandled.  Daily, on some track, at some point in time, there will be a delay due to "technicle difficulties".  It is almost as if someone on the payroll spins the wheel of chance for the maintenance problem of the day.

      Don't get me wrong.  I often find very interesting and positive things when riding the T.  Of course, not everyone will agree with those things sometimes catching my interest.  I would like to tell you about them, just the same.

      The pigeons can be real characters.  I think they observe us in the same way we observe them.  Last spring, some Mama pigeon got quite brave, albeit stupid.  She built her nest and deposited two eggs into the corner of the open bed of my husband's truck.  Every morning, she would wait for Rex's arrival and dilligently sit upon her unhatched eggs.  Every evening, she would fly off to the rafters to rest and wait for the trucks return, again, to tend her eggs.  It took a year for us to dispose of the damaged and un-birthed eggs and quite a bit less time for Mama to give up her parental duties.

      There are the tiniest mice that make their comforts along the side walls, and whatever is beyond, the tracks. They scurry here and there, as if the tracks were their neighborhood and I believe it is.  Their behavior tells us far before Miss Squeeky Static's voice that the train's arrival is imminent.  I know not everyone would fiind them as adorable as I do, however, they are most interesting to me.

      Moving up the food chain are the musicians.  Now I realize that some commuters are so wrapped up in themselves, that giving notice to someone else would be annoying.  Even worse, giving recognition to someone "beneath" them might even hurt their delicate psyches.  Just a moment or two, as you wait for your train to pull in, would give some real entertaining music.  Some are better than others.  Some are pretty harsh,  Even the harsh playing musician, is saying something.  If they are lucky, they will return home with a reasonable amount of tips for their efforts.

      There is a total neighborhood beneath the tunnels.  Each stop has it's own flare, it's own flavor.  People sell their wares on carts or simply laid on a blanket designed to enhance the properties of the items.  Many things are guaranteed to catch your eyes, peak your interest, or make your tummy grumble.  Hucksters with beautiful scarves and ties made of the most interesting fabrics can be found while the next cart might have bags and hats.  Some of these are sure to match the scarves and such in cart number one.  There is always jewelry, in piecemeal or sets.  There are so many styles it is virtually impossible to not see something you fid to your liking.  During te Holiday Season, they are sure to bring out bigger and better items of inexpensive but gift worthy purchases.  Yur best tool is an instinct of what prices seem more like scalping than a simple markup.  At this point you can begin to barter.  If bartering is not pleasant or successful you are certain to find the item another day or at another stop in this unique underground network.

      Then, there are the many food vendors both in the underground, as well as, on street level at the T exits.  Sausage and peppers, dogs and kraut, french fries and hot pretzels, and oodles of candy all designed to tempt the taste buds as it infiltrates the olfactory senses, and make the tummy rumble for the pleasure of a taste.

      When you start the long climb up the steps to reach street level, the aroma is not quite as pleasant.  In fact, it is usually horrid.  People urinating there and than the corners not being washed leaves a terrible odor. Gratefully, the next level is the street and you are again inundated with the fragrence of many food carts and beautiful flowers.  Beautiful flowers right next to the exit to remind you of your lovely wife waiting at home with the hopes that none of the typical technical difficulties keep you late and ruin dinner.

      So, there you have it, Good,  bad, ugly, noisy and smelly, the T will stimulate you, mind and body.  Get a good night's rest.  Eat a healthy breakfast and get going.  Explore the T.  You can, at least say, you have explored it once.  Who, knows, you may even work your way to the end of the line, or worse, become a daily rider.