Soon to be featured in an episode of NUMB3RS on CBS December 13
What’s better than commuting to work? Probably reading about it.
I live in the Mt. Pleasant (Columbia Heights Metro stop) area and work in Alexandria, VA (King Street Metro stop), which are both on the Yellow Line, though, there’s a switch to the Green going north at Mt. Vernon during peak hours, if you’re familiar. A nice thing about the commute is that I always get a seat: end of the train on my way out of the District, and front on the train on my way back, both a middle seat on the left side facing in the direction of movement. From this vantage point I see the sun rising in the east when the train goes above ground on my way to work. At this time of year there are lots of great pink and blue stripes that cut between the white clouds. On the way back, while crossing over the Potomac River, I get to see the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial right before the train dips under the District. If I’m lucky there’s a plane flying down the Potomac on approach to National Airport that swooshes right overhead at that moment. If I’m really lucky old men and women get very concerned and gasp when it happens.
The other day I was in my customary position on the way home and listening to my iPod/being completely antisocial when the man sitting next to me said something important enough to interrupt my listening. I took off my headphones to hear him say frantically, “This is horrible! It’s an easy one today and I’m stuck. I’m stuck!” He was a short tubby guy with a long black coat and a bristly five o’clock shadow. “Do you play?” he asked me. “I’ve done a couple,” I said looking at his Sudoku puzzle. He looked disappointed but I investigated. “Oh, I think an 8 goes here,” I said within a couple of minutes. “Yes, yes, YES,” he said with an ascending tone. “You should play more often,” he said quickly finishing the puzzle. But then I saw his face turn to sadness. “But now what will I do for the rest of my commute home!?” He got off at the next stop and I put my headphones back on.
capitulatenow Dec 14
Geez, you always get a seat in the morning? You must be some kind of wizard.
Meatball Surgery Dec 14
No, it’s just that I get up at 6am and that it’s a reverse commute and it doesn’t really start to fill up until you get to Chinatown. Oh, but yes, also, I’m a wizard.