A few years ago I needed to take public transportation - to commute, as it were - to get to an important family get-together. I had two options, I could take a faster, cleaner, more direct train, then another train or a bus; or I could take a slower, grimey, disgusting subway train to that next train or bus. The trip could take anywhere between an hour and 2 on a normal day, depending on how long I waited (or didn't) at every step on my trip.
Why would I choose the second option? Well, you see, the first train cost more (obviously) but more importantly, it ran on a set schedule, with long gaps in between trains. If I missed one train, I would have to wait around an hour for another.
So of course I missed it. Welcome to my life. I looked at the clock considered my options, and decided to take the subway. Yes, it was annoying. Yes, it was unpleasant. But I needed to get home sooner rather than later.
What I didn't know was that the subway I usually took had been switched to another track for the day, to allow for some repairs. Oops.
So I got to the subway station, of course just missing a train. I sighed to myself and pulled out a book, resigned to waiting for the next train. This time, however, I wasn't altogether too upset. This was normal, and these trains came fairly regularly.
5 minutes later, what I thought was my train pulled up. I got on and continued to read. But then... about 5 minutes into the trip, I glanced up to see the scheduled stops, just to double check. And - I didn't see my stop. I was on the wrong train!
It took me about 2 minutes to figure out what had happened, a time which I'm slightly ashamed of. There were signs plastered all over both the station and the train of the scheduled change, I'd just been too preoccupied to notice.
So I was stuck. I spent about 20 minutes panicking and worrying what I was going to do - this train didn't stop by the bus station I needed. And then I realized it stopped only 6 blocks away from there, and again felt like an idiot. I managed to relax and enjoy the last few minutes on the train.
When I got off at the stop I needed, I mostly felt bemused - I'd messed up and missed the first train, gotten stuck on the wrong train, but I was only running about 20 minutes late. A quick walk in the city wouldn't kill me, though if I stayed much longer the pollution might.
And then, as I crossed the third street of the 6 needed to reach my bus stop, I saw the bus I needed on the side of the road, the bus driver stopped and looking for customers. I knew it usually cost more to take the bus from the street, and I had just enough for what it cost in the station, but... he quite literally begged me to get on his bus (I suppose he wanted the commission) and instantly agreed to accept the lower price.
That should have tipped me off. It didn't.
I simply confirmed with him: "You're going directly to so and so? Right now?"
And he, of course, said yes. "I just need to pick up a few more customers. 5 or 10 minutes."
45 minutes later, we started driving through the city streets... the wrong way! Apparently he wanted to pick up more customers along the way. Half an hour after that, filled up with customers and finally ready to leave, he finally turned toward the necessary tunnel.
And of course there was traffic. Why wouldn't there be? And so the rest of that normally 30 minute ride took close to an hour.
I walked in and sheepishly apologized for walking in almost two hours late. I then told over the story (to attempt to excuse myself) and watched everyone laugh at my misery. How hilarious.
Although after the fact, it is rather funny. I do still wonder if that bus driver has been fired yet. And I regret, more than anything else that day, not making the first train.
note. all pictures from pixabay
