monday monologue
So its Monday morning I am getting ready to go to the office when Toonman hollers
'there's no new post!'.
I actually didnt hear him due to the cats insisting on MOOOORE, the TV blaring (if its not LOUD how can I hear it in the bathroom?) so I walk into (no yelling WHAT? for me, my mother discouraged that with 'I am not shouting if you cant hear me, come here') the living room (for those who know us, you know its a long walk .. I kid, its not) and say WHAT? He repeats 'there's no new post'. I reply I am going to write it when I get into the office in case there's any new inspiration. I was hoping there would be, because I am really without any.
First the buses ran on a sort of schedule that was truly at the mercy of traffic and weather conditions but then they lengthened the wait time between buses. In the heat of summer it was annoying but I knew once winter's chill hit it would be impossible to stand out there and wait wait wait ... not knowing how long it would be til a bus arrived.
Its 5 stops or 2 depending on if you stay on the local or switch to the express. Its a 10 minute trip vs the 25 minutes I spent on the bus (once it actually arrives), seemed like a no brainer. And it is. You go down into the subway, look up and check the new electronic signboards that tell you how long you will be waiting on the either frigid or sweltering platform (depending on the temps above) for the next subway train .. last week - I swear - I got off the train at Times Square and it was raining ... raining down through the grid in the sidewalk that lets air, and, it seems, icy sleety rain in as well.
Lucky me there's the temperature .. I cant say it, I cant write. Its freezing or below.
What is it where you are?
And there's the Jets loss along with Da Bears .. sorry ChiTowners, I am not too upset at Da Bears loss. In truth, and I am all about truth, I dont really care that the Jets lost. Had they won the overwhelming color in the stadium would have that truly fugly green both teams wear. Green is not a good color except maybe if you are Irish and its St Patty's Day in Chicago.
Did I mention its cold? And the Jets lost? Ok. Just checking.
I stopped, as many of you know, riding the M104 to the office in the mornings.
You dont need to ask why, I'll tell you.
Its because the Transit Authority had to cut back service on all its lines.
First the buses ran on a sort of schedule that was truly at the mercy of traffic and weather conditions but then they lengthened the wait time between buses. In the heat of summer it was annoying but I knew once winter's chill hit it would be impossible to stand out there and wait wait wait ... not knowing how long it would be til a bus arrived.
Being an Aquarius (oh dont get me off on a tangent over these new horoscope designations, its just a new way to make an old pick up line even older sounding) I usually dont pay attention to time but I have Capricorn rising so there's this left vs right brain stuff and it seems Capricorn always asserts itself, remind me to one day tell you about the body painting party I attended in my misspent youth.
I decided in mid-Summer to take the subway.
Makes me wonder if the MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) hadnt bought those fancy electronic signboards maybe there would be more buses .. hey, its a thought.
I am going to leave you with, I hope a giggle or a smile, last week one night as I was on the #1 headed uptown the subway conducter announced in a very Bob Marley voice over the loud speaker system:
Let the doors go, do not hold the train captive in the station!
(a wall detail in the Spring Street station)
