me like choochoo

One more thing about the blood that runs through my veins… I love public transportation.. It’s a really strange but interesting phenomenon, but there’s such a sense of satisfaction of being able to travel around a city or across a country with a little laminated card in your hand. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you’ve mastered the public transportation system in another country/language – a challenge worthy of a celebratory pint (sounds like the ‘pin’ in pinch, but with a ‘t’ instead of a ‘ch’).

City living is sublime with the luxury of a decent metro and bus lines. Parking is always an issue or a headache, and when you live in a city where 15 dollars for an hour for parking is a bargain; then your feet, and that little laminated card, ticket stub or dirty copper token sounds really good to me.. Getting rid of my car was such a liberating feeling: no need for gas, maintenance, registrations, cleaning, insurance, taxes, scraping off the ice and snow, brake pads, fluid changes, paint jobs, changing tires, checking tire pressure, service, scratches, dents, broken side mirrors – nothing…

Get on that metro, take three stops down, change stations, catch the other train on the other line heading west – two more stops and BABAM (Sami Style), you’re in the middle of wherever you want to be… walk around, you want to take a cab, no problem, you’re mobile now – you can do anything – no need to have to walk back to the parking lot to get the car to head it over to another parking lot, or meter, or in front of a hydrant...

Think of all the random people you see on the subway – bums, businessmen, mothers, children, students, seniors, hoodlums, tourists, all sorts of people including you and me. Buddhists, Muslims, Atheists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Scientologists, etc – we’re all taking the metro to get to a specific point… There’s just so much going on the train… Buskers playing all that music you love, vendors selling coffee, flowers, fruit, whatever… All those advertisements and billboards – I don’t think I’ve ever gotten on or waited for a train, and not been amused…

I loved the little commuter tricks you knew about… during the winter time, the best place to sit on the bus was in the back, because the back seats were on top of the engine and the seats were always nice and warm. Summertime, avoid the back seats at all costs. The other side exit at the station where it didn’t feel like there were a hundred people going up or down the stairs. The on your toes skip to avoid puddles of piss. The exact spot where the train stops when it pulls into the station. Just little tricks that make your commute a little slicker…

Commuter rails - wow, linking the suburbs and towns to the cities, absolutely incredible. You get on the train, sit down, the conductor comes, you either have to your card or you pay for your ticket and that’s it… a couple of stops and there you have it, you’re at the parking lot walking to your car to take your 10 minute drive home – just in time for dinner. Getting on the commuter rail makes you see how many people live outside but work in the city everyday, so easy.. Sure it can be a hassle if you have an hour or more commute each way – but I loved reading the paper in the morning, a super-power nap, listening to music, a book perhaps, and even just taking some time to daze off in the morning to collect your daydreams and get ready for the day… I always saved something for the trip home, some footie news, that book, de-stressing, or just sinking in your seat and not having to do anything for the next hour till you make it to your stop.. The commuter rail only worked if you left at a set time.. Working late would suck – doable – but still suck.. I feel for you workaholic commuters…

The downside to public transportation was that sometimes their timing would be off… luckily enough; it’s not really that bad - once you have their schedule - you’re all set… I love bus stops with the schedule posted at the stop – such valuable information. Another downside to public transportation: Rush Hour traffic… it’s unavoidable – but everything comes at a price…

I’ve had the pleasure of utilizing a number of public transportation systems all over the world – credit is given to where credit is due – the Behemoth: The London Underground… 6 Zones, enough train stations that you’ll never even visit, enough subway lines to paint a rainbow. It’s affectionately known as the tube –with the overplayed recording “mind the gap” – The tube has so much history connecting one of the largest most cosmopolitan cities on this planet. This is the place where buskers thrive, advertisers salivate over the foot traffic, and vendors make a living. The tube is a part of life there that many people have just accepted as a component of your daily routine you cannot do without. Make no mistake, the London Underground has withstood a lot: People were evacuated underground during the World War II aerial bombings – People braved the IRA bombings – and they will brave these gutless terrorist attacks. Should people change a part of their lives because of the horrendous act committed on July 7th, 2005? No Fucking way… I’ll be damned before anyone gets between me and my love for taking the subway – You can’t let them think they’ve succeeded – it’s what their violently brainwashed & totally fucked minds are looking for…

I stand by the people of London by sticking my middle finger in defiance to these fucking terrorists – and only hope that with our stand together we realize that you cannot hate an entire religion on the actions of some extremists.