I Wish I Were a Kid Again

Did you ever have a day like this?  I'm sure you have.

This morning when I woke up from my train nap, I looked out the window and expected to see the walls of the tunnel that the train goes into right before crossing the bridge into Manhattan.  That's what I expected, but that's not what I saw.

I saw woods.  Not good.

Apparently while I slept, the train had the audacity to break down.  A valve fell off the engine and all of the wheels on the train locked.  We weren't going anywhere.

After about an hour or so, they sent another engine out to us.  Hooked it up to our train, disconnected the broken engine, and we were on our way again.

So I got off of the train and walked over to the bus stop.  My bus was no where in sight.  After waiting a few minutes, I decided to take an alternate bus.  I got on and found a seat in the back - no air conditioning, humid and smelly.  A fight broke out between some of the passengers.  (Note to self: don't ever brush past someone's purse on a hot and humid non-air conditioned bus.)

I got off of that bus and waited for the connection.  While I was waiting, 3 of my regular buses whizzed by.

I went and got some breakfast.  The clerk rang up the order wrong, so she redid it.  I watched my alternate bus go by.  Then the cook burnt my breakfast and had to redo it.  I watched another alternate bus go by.

I got my breakfast and went back out to the bus stop.  After awhile, my alternate bus came.  There were a few people in line ahead of me.  The first man tried to get past the driver by only paying a partial fare.  He and the driver had words.

Then a woman got on with 4 children.  I wasn't aware of this, but apparently you have to have 1 adult for every 3 children on a bus.  I guess it's the mayor's idea of population control.  She and the driver had words.

Then the guy in front of me got on the bus.  He paid in nickels.  The machine jammed.  I think this was almost the last straw for the driver who took the stay out of his collar and attempted to clear the machine.  It didn't work - and neither did my transfer.  I had to pay a new full fare.  I almost said something, but I decided that the driver really just needed me to not say a word.

We went to the next stop.  A man came onto the bus with an open stroller - another serious bus offense apparently.  The driver lost it.  The man lost it.  The cops came.  I got off the bus and waited for the next one.

I paid full fare again (3rd fare, mind you) and got on.  Somehow, magically, we actually made it all the way to my stop.  I got off, walked to my office, got out my teacup and went to the pantry to get a nice cuppa.

One of my colleagues bumped into me and the boiling hot tea poured down the front of my shirt and pants.  It was incredibly hot - I like to let it steep a bit.  I was really soaked.

That was my morning - and it was the best part of my day.

Sometimes I wish I were a kid again.