AUGUST 28, 2019 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON
Intriguing mishaps can meet you no matter the distance. These would be ones like those unfolding on my early morning metro commute one very early August morning. These would also be those hiccups that presumably seem to be mere circumstance, but sometimes, I wonder. I wonder if certain stumbling blocks are the signs and whispers (which I’m incidentally listening to for guidance) — are they signs of my own misdirection. Literally and figuratively. How about those obstacles? I happen to feel like I am at a crossroads so naturally I wonder. When I make one decision or change my mind, I wonder. Which step is next? Is something not seemingly working out because I need to go about it differently or do I need to not go about it all?
Mishaps also have a brilliant way of instilling gratitude. Gratitude could just be there on its own but there are times when I see it underscored by the knowledge of what the downside has been or could be. As simple as the experience of being caught out in a monstrous storm versus having a sunny day off from work.
It was just earlier this month – heading to work. I have become oddly accustomed to waking up much earlier to allow for the extra time it will take to get there. You see, there is customary maintenance underway on the metro and that means that the service for both the Blue Line and Yellow Line are interrupted a couple stops before I get to my regular stop. Consequently, there are free shuttle buses covering the gaps. This is when gratitude battles with agitation = Round 1. I am actually quite grateful for the inconvenience convenience. I remind myself.
I’ve taken this as an opportunity to engulf books – one of my pastimes which I’m pleased I’ve avidly gotten back to not neglecting (over the past several years). Before getting to the shuttle, I take two trains and it’s no rush, because as I was mentioning I’ve decided to get up early to allow for trains possibly not showing up on time, breakdowns on buses, etc. This was the perfect day to be prepared for both.
The second train I transfer to took about 20 minutes longer to get to the shuttle bus destination because of a down circuit at another station. Once on the shuttle bus, driven by a friendly Ethiopian American gentleman, we journeyed what seemed steadily along. However, this was not the time to get comfortable. Not yet. Not the moment riders collapse away into their respective phones and other reading material. So, it seemed, the bus suddenly could not start back up once the bus driver stopped to open the door before crossing a railroad track (the obligatory traffic regulation).
I thought the two out-of-service buses eventually pulling up alongside him were going to rescue us from the highway. I thought this laughably but still fully imagining the possibility. Out of Service rotating on the bus signage where a number and destination usually was meant they weren’t currently running a route.
A couple of anxious passengers began standing and moving up front, towards the bus driver. They had to be thinking similarly. We had been sitting in silence for a considerable amount of time as the bus driver tried to restart the bus. Once, he powered down completely, the lights turned out briefly, but…nothing.
The two moving buses, however, mainly held up a few cars in the next lane, while one of the respective bus drivers did board our bus to see if she could help him. This also made complete sense, except for, they were oddly not communicating with us. She finally asked where we were headed. I found this oddly hilarious since we were not one or two random hitchhikers but rather a bus load of about 40 passengers headed to a couple of designated stops specifically designated by metro along a typical work route. She said she could get us to King Street. We were so thankful for her. (I thanked the first bus driver as we left him. He had gotten us as far as he could and now could get help without a bunch of anxious eyes on his back).
Our new driver immediately took us to a point that has recently become very familiar. This is where usually about 1% of the bus riders exit while most of us get off at the second shuttle stop, closest to our employment. (There are various shuttle buses available at other stations too, if one happens to be traveling beyond those other temporarily closed connecting stations).
This particular day, we assumed there would be a second stop to come. We were incorrect. She said she was not a certain type of bus and we all had to get out here. I write “certain” because I’m not sure exactly what distinction there was. She didn’t say “not a shuttle” so mystery still remains there.
I felt myself inwardly – maybe not so inwardly – smirking throughout these events. To work on limiting the anguish and knowing that I got up early for a reason, it became one of those times, I touched on in an earlier post, on which you will look back and laugh, but you actually find it so random that you find yourself laughing in the moment.
Getting off the bus, I made a quick turn on to King Street, knowing I would walk the rest of the way, At least we were in the vicinity and off the highway. People were standing outside now, hesitant and agitated before figuring out next steps. I thought to myself how they didn’t realize their fortune. I thought they have obviously never been dropped off by a local vehicle taking them in the wrong direction in Havana before. (future blog post to come😊).
Overall, life is now a far cry from dealing with car notes and car problems (though I have missed my middle-aged Ford on some grocery store and additional weekend errands). My recollection here is just the other side of some trouble with modern convenience but I also pause to say I am grateful for the high probability of on-time and quick service that gets me where I need and want to be. Since I gave up my car before heading to Peru the first time, I’m pretty fortunate to live in a large enough area with a good public transportation system. An added plus is living in such a walk-friendly space.
Universe just simply took a moment to say: Here’s a reminder of the importance of leaving an hour earlier during a partial metro shutdown😊
Also, here is the importance of temporary solutions, good systems being made better, a number of helpful people when it’s not always expected, and a fairly healthy portion of self-reliance.
Cassandra