Today was one of 'those' days. The kind of day where you wake up a few minutes later than usual and where you order a brownie, but the barista serves you a muffin instead. I didn't even bother to tell the man that he gave me the wrong pastry. I accepted it because it was chocolate, and chocolate was all I needed.
My schedule was off by precisely one minute this morning. One minute is precious in a world where you rely on public transportation. I worried I would fall and slip on the icy steps while I attempted to catch the eight o'clock train to work. Luckily, the doors remained open just long enough as to not squish me. The relief you feel when catching up to your schedule is like the satisfaction you feel when chopping off three minutes from your GPS's ETA. I am pleased the train waited several minutes for people to rush on board, unlike the Dart's speedy sister, Luas, that jets off after 20 seconds.
A minute passed...then two...and then the car went dark. A few people looked up from their phones. A few people groaned. A few cheered. You can guess right that the ones who cheered were young students missing first period Algebra class. The train moved at a snail's pace for several minutes before stopping again. A boy commented, "I think the Dart is trying to win a record for slowest moving time." No one laughed. The lights flickered again as the engine pacified itself and the 'ding' announced that we were not alone. As if we were reaching a new level in a video game, the chime-y signal introduced the operator's voice, "My sincerest apologies for the delay. We are having technical issues and it will be quite a bit of time before we get moving. Again, sorry for this unexpected failure." Poor train getting called a failure! No wonder it refuses to budge.
The school kids sigh with relief at this announcement and call their moms to tell the school that they aren't coming in today. "Want to get coffee when we get out of this thing?" A uniformed teenager asks his buddy. I wish I could call out of work altogether too - clearly the stars are not aligned for me today. A minute later, the boy digs out his lunch from his backpack and devours leftover pasta for a survival snack. Some strangers even start conversation - I presume it is because their phones ran dry. I continue to stick my nose into my book, taking advantage of this extra hour of down-time.
Of course, the one day the trains malfunction it is freezing temperatures. I felt bad for those waiting on the platforms, unsure of when the next train would arrive; and I felt bad for those experiencing claustrophobia and for those needing a bathroom. Alas, the lights sparked and the engine churned to life just in time for everyone to miss half a day of work. I wouldn’t mind being stranded on the train again. If you have a good book, the only rush is to dive into the alternate world.
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