Wednesday, August 02, 2006

The Natural Law of Public Transportion in Extreme Conditions

I fancy myself a person of reason but must admit that I'm becoming more and more superstitious with age. I'm convinced the universe is plotting against me which is why I am a firm believer in the Natural Law of Opposites. Nevertheless, this latest curse of Mother Nature is just unfair.

To escape the heat I could go to the pool at MIT or some other 'cooling center' but the problem and reason I don't is a subsection of the Natural Law of Opposites, it's called the Natural Law of Public Transportation in Extreme Conditions.

The Natural Law of Public Transportation in Extreme Conditions works like this. Take a scorching or freezing day, or just any day where you are in a hurry, running late or maybe sick and have to rely on public transportation.

You go to the bus stop expecting a 5-minute wait, the norm, but end up waiting and waiting leaving you to wonder if the MBTA has cancelled the route in the direction you're going. It will become clear that the same route going the opposite direction has not been cancelled because during your excruciatingly hot 30 minute wait caravans of busses going the opposite direction, 3 deep, running every 5 or so minutes and almost completely empty will pass and taunt you.

The above scenario happens every time I brave the bus and it doesn't matter which direction of the route I'm waiting for--I will wait and wait and wait and count the number of busses going the opposite direction. I'll end up having conversations with the transients who occupy the benches and like all conversations with strangers these days, the talk will be baby, which is mildly pleasant.


3 comments:

Kristen Gill, Marketing Manager said...

Well, you shouldn't be out in this heat...stand in a cold shower, sit in front of your A/C and drink water...sound fun doesn't it? These days make me want to stand in a pool and have a bartender serve me bottomless pina colodas! Hang in there!

nancy said...

This reminds me of the Seinfeld where Elaine gets stuck in the subway and she is screaming and swearing at the top of her lungs in her head. I'm sure you felt like that. How about a frozen towel on the head?

Lindsay said...

Makes you just want to stay inside. Hope your hot weather passes soon!