Contrarian Mondays with Todd X: Crazies on the Train

When I leave work, I generally have two choices on how to get home: walk up to Market St. and catch a train OR catch a train at the 2nd and King MUNI stop just a block from my office. 99 times out of 100, I choose the closer option. Unfortunately, there are only two train lines that pass this particular stop: the T and the N-lines. Even more unfortunate, fate and the universe typically choose to send me a T-line train first.

You see, the T-line connects San Francisco proper to some of its more economically depressed, outlying neighborhoods. So, the passengers are more, um, eclectic and varied. I rode a jungle train in Costa Rica for hours when I was in college. I think I preferred the slow moving, stuffy, crowded jungle train to the T-line.

Today, for example, I had to stand next to Crazy Homeless Man with a bike while he cursed and yelled at the man who, as far as I could tell, was his "friend" and companion. They were debating on when to get off so they could be on Market St. Everyone knows that all the MUNI lines go down Market St. Ah, but, as the CHM w/bike pointed out, it drops you off UNDERGROUND. Apparently, that would not be conducive to his bike riding. Eventually, they got off at the Folsom St. stop and, presumably, rode gleefully to Market St.

Their absence enabled me to focus on Drug Dealer Guy with a cellphone. DDG was, in my humble opinion, conducting drug deals while he was riding along with the rest of us on the T. Supposedly, he had some "really good sh*t" for only $500. Sounded like a bargain to me.

Add to this the crush of people packing themselves into the train at 6:45-7:00 PM (I thought everyone got off early in this city!!??) and you can see that I had a lovely if not idyllic train ride home tonight.

Next time, I pull off the mask of introspective, withdrawn human being and release the killer robot within.

You've been warned. Stay off the T.