Much like the stories in the bible, this story also refers to a mass exodus…. From a train.
This morning I took my dreaded LNR commute, and as I got on, and went one stop, I heard those 5 words most feared by every new york city commuter… We have a sick passenger.
I did the flip flop;I think a city tradition of do I stay on or not, as the Clash song pierced through my ears, should I stay, or should I go…. You hear the angel and devil on your back- LITERALLY. One person to my left huffed and said jesus under their breath, and then got off. Another girl with a tight bun, and a flowy dress said out loud, to no one in particular, ‘By the time you go upstairs and try to get on this bus, we will have already reached before you!’ So many decisions, so little time, I suppose.
As I exited with hundreds others clicking at my heels, I thought to myself it is so amazing that literally ONE human being caused this sight, and affected hundreds of commutes. This is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you.
The maze of union square is like labrinyth of subway lines, everyone going every which way, some fast, some slow and I now have one method that seems to usually do the trip. It’s very simple in theory: STAY CLOSE TO THE WALL.
You encounter all kinds on this mass exodus. There are the angries, spewing bitterness and rolled eyes, pretty much to whomever is or will listen. Then you have the easy breezies, a small smile on their face, hey what you can, they say to their friend shrugging, it’s not the end of the world, right?
I think I have been both. Today I was neither. I was almost in a trance, I’m not sure my feet even touched the ground in between my shuffle, but it felt like I was floating through the maze, until I safely reached the R train, pulled out Bossy pants, and held my pole, awaiting my stop.
I never in a million years thought I would say this, but when I reached 42nd and saw my building in the distance, I was relieved…..
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