Ode to the Subway

Anyone who has ever experienced the Subway system of New York knows it can be a trifle wild. There are so many different lines to take, people move so quickly, and sometimes you end up in a completely different part of New York than you intended to go (like Queens... Dad & Adam).

On a day-to-day basis, I've come to appreciate little things about the subway and absolutely loathe others:

I love when I walk down the stairs to the station, swipe my card and the train is just rolling in. On occasion, my good fortune has continued when I have to transfer and as the doors are opening on the G train, the A or C is coming to a stop across the platform and I just step on and continue to Manhattan. This makes my trip all of 25-30 min. I can count, on one hand, the number of times this has happened to me. However, more often than not I come down the stairs for the G train and step onto an empty platform. That is the absolute worst because that means the train has just left! You can watch people, as they come down to the platform and look around realizing the train has just left. Their entire body just drops in utter defeat.

Nothing is worse than the G train. One can wait forever for the G train. Some New Yorkers nicknamed it the "ghost" train cause it never comes, especially late at night. I've waited for 45 min. for that stupid train. And you can't get mad at anyone or anything cause there is no one there. You just pace frantically back-and-forth or stare with great intensity at the opening where the train is going to come. I sometimes step to the edge of the platform and look in the opposite direction to see the seething, irritated faces of people. It makes me feel a little better to know I'm not alone in my frustration and usually it makes me laugh.

Since its summer, I love that there is air-condition on the subways but I hate when you step into one where the air has stopped working. Once you've committed to that car and the door slide shut you are immediately aware of the stifling, smelly stillness of an un-air conditioned car. You can seek out the coolness and move to another car, or you can just tough it out and pray for no delays.

Another funny bit about the subway is when you sit under the subway map in the car. Every car has one posted somewhere and if I can avoid it I will. When a person sits under the map and another person comes and hovers over them to look at the map, it always affects the behavior of the person under the map. If they are reading, listening to music, or just sitting there. Its funny to watch their different reactions to feeling crowded.

Music is a tricky thing on the subway. Generally, when I start my trip its on a quiet platform so the volume isn't too high (got to protect my inner ear). But when I get on the train, its so loud I've got to crank it up just to hear it at all. However, when we pull in for a stop I have to turn it back down again or everyone in a 10 foot radius will be enjoying my music as well! I don't understand how people just leave their iPod alone the whole time on the train. Either they can't hear it or everyone else can!

Sometimes I miss my car... yes, even that awful Sebring... but then I see the prices for gas...