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What A Way To Start . . .
By Gooch | February 9, 2009
the week. I just had the morning commute almost from hell. Normally, my commute take about 50 minutes to an hour. I catch the 5 train coming out of the yard at Nereid Ave and it’s a nice one train ride. Well I get to the station and wait for my 5 train. Well I notice that there are a lot more people on the platform. A 2 train pulls in and most of the platform gets on it. I don’t think anything of it. I keep looking towards the yard to see when they’re pulling the train out. Well about 2 minutes after that train leaves, here comes an announcement:
“Due to an incident earlier at Jackson Avenue, there is no 5 train service from Nereid Avenue. Also there are no 5 trains running from E. 180 St. to 149 St.-Grand Concourse.” So I check my phone and go to the MTA mobile page and sure enough there’s a service alert saying that all Bronx bound 2 trains are running express from 149-GC to E 180. Well that sucks for me because the 5 usually runs express in the morning the opposite way. So of course I’m not happy because I could have been on that 2 train that just left. So about 15 minutes later another 2 train finally shows up and by this time the platform is full again. I’m hoping to get a seat but then the car I usually get in the seats are all taken. I end up against the doors on the opposite side of the car and take out my PSP. Next thing I hear is “If you are evil, get off this train now. If you wish to be saved, you can stay on the train. I am here to give God’s word”and I look and at one end of the car is this guy standing there with a bible in his hand who starts reading from it. We move on down the line and at each stop it’s craziness as a lot of people get on and at each stop the guy says the same “evil” thing throwing in that he is “the messiah” or “the second coming.” I lose my spot against the door at Gun Hill, but I’m still in front of the door holding onto the pole. Train keeps getting more packed.
As we pull into E 180, I see the absolute wall of people and I mutter to myself, “that’s not good.”
The train stops and the doors open. Next thing I’m in the middle of the car as a wall of people push their way onto the train. A woman who was against the doors ends up on the other side of the car. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a subway car this packed. The 5 was running as a shuttle from Dyre to 180, plus with the 2 running express coming up, all the people who missed the stops it skipped are trying to get on too. What a nightmare. At every stop from 180 down, it was just walls of people trying to get on an already packed train. We finally get to Jackson Ave. and we have to wait as they’re only using one track, hence why the trains are so spaced out. Eventually we get to 149-GC and a wave of people pour out onto the platform and upstairs to catch the 4 or 5 train. The 4 that showed up is immediately packed and I’m like I’ll wait. the next train is an empty 5. I get on and get a seat, pull out my PSP again and think “OK I’m home free.” And I was, with the exception of an exclamation point to the trip. After the usual crowd gets on at 86th St., the train is packed. Next thing I notice a foul stench. I start looking around because I already know what it is. Next thing a little hole opens up and I see a homeless man lying down on the seat opposite from me. I shook my head pulled my sweater up over my nose and proceeded to go back to my PSP. I get to Grand Central and hold my breath to get off the train.
Door to Door: about 2 hours.
cost: $2.00
The absurdity and hilarity of the whole thing: Priceless
It’s days like these that I wish I were still driving to work.
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