SCENE. A TTC subway station in Toronto.
ME: Goddammit, why don’t the subway drivers keep the train long enough at the station for everybody to board? The train wasn’t even close to full yet.
ALEX (a roommate): Because they’re trying to stick to their schedule.
ME: Since when do TTC drivers give a damn about sticking to schedule?
ERIC (also a roommate): He’s got a point. I was on the Keele bus yesterday and the bus driver stopped ten minutes for a cup of coffee. I was late for work. That sort of thing happens all the time.
ALEX: Subway drivers are insanely strict about keeping to schedule, though. I wonder what the difference is?
ME: Maybe they are rival factions in the TTC. Like the Jets and the Crips.
ERIC: I can see that. They would have a dance-off at Union Station.
ALEX: Actually, they wouldn’t, considering the Jets danced off against the Sharks and Chris mixed up his metaphors there.
ME: I was really hoping you wouldn’t notice that I did that.
ALEX: Tough.
ME: Although you have to admit, the Jets and the Crips? Shortest feud ever.
ERIC: (sings) “When you’re a Jet you’re the top cat in town, the gold medal kid with the heavyweight -” (stops singing) BLAM BLAM BLAM! “EAT THAT, MUTHAFUCKA!”
ME: “Who snappin’ their fingers in a musically threatenin’ way now, bitch?”
ALEX: “Bernstein and Sondheim? That all you got? I said that all you got?”
ME: Of course, the Jets would counter with precision uniform dancing. We can’t underrate that.
ERIC: I find it surprisingly easy to underrate that when the other side has guns.
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*Is now wondering what Boyz N the Hood would be like as a musical.*
Is one of these guys Flapjacks?
When I’ve been in the city and taken the subway, I’ve never seen them take off before everybody was on board. I’ve also never had trouble getting on board before the doors close. When the train’s stopped I’ve usually thought “Good, we’re not sitting in one place too long, so I won’t be late.” But I have wondered whether I’d be able to beat that clock if I were older and slower, or if I were on crutches or something. I think I’d have a hard time.
I gotta ask: Bloods vs. Sharks = slightly longer feud? Or about the same?
The difference for the drivers probably is: If the bus behind your bus catches up with your bus, it can overtake you. If the train behind your train catches up with you then you have a train crash.
Plus I’ve had drivers stop for 10 minutes 2 stops from the depot before. When someone asked the driver why we were stopped he explained that there had been very light traffic that day and he was ahead of schedule. So he was waiting before getting to the depot so he wouldnt get in trouble for not sticking to the schedule…
Yeah, can you tell I go most places by public transport and have spent an awful lot of time wondering what the damn hold up is? 😛
Your life is far more amusing then mine (my interchanges with friends frequently feature “your mom” and “your face”).
On another note, why does it say a comment was made in a day instead of on a day?
In is the new on. Turn in, tune in, and drop…in.
Ah, Bill Hicks, missed to this very day…
The sad part is, the TTC is a huge step up from GO. Thank God I don’t live in the 905 anymore.
Where I live, it’s good enough if the bus even shows up, nevermind on time.
If public transport screws up and you have to wait and the end result is a vigorous and enjoyable discussion of the musical form, then they only have themselves to blame.
Of course, if the people you hang out with are choristers or classically-trained singers…it’s like Musicology Today on the platform down at Melbourne Central. *g*
Did you put a hat down?