The Mass Transit Odyssey Part II

Most of you intrepid readers remember my discussion of my problems with flat bike tires, bums and drunk frat boys in my previous journal entry. Well it did not stop there.

I needed to be at work at 8:00 AM on saturday (Yuck) and so I woke up at 6:30 and was right on time. I stopped for a cup of Joe at starbucks and made my way to the red line El. This train basically runs from the far north to the far south of Chicago on the east side of the city. I was taking it downtown.

We went about 3 stops to Addison St. (right next to Wrigley field) and stalled for about 5 minutes. All of a sudden the driver got out of the car and Shouted "Everybody out! This train is going back north!"

We all cursed and got out of the train.

About 5 minutes later a south bound train came by but, strangely, it pulled into the north bound side of the train platform. We all got in - it was extremely crowded now.

We sat for about 5 minutes.

Once again, All of a sudden the driver got out of the car and Shouted "Everybody out! This train is going back north!"

We all cursed and got out of the train.

Finally a person from the CTA came upstairs and told us to go downstairs and get on shuttle busses that were taking us to the belmont stop about 2 stops further down because there was a fire on the tracks.

We went downstairs. There were no shuttle busses.

Then that same CTA person came out and shouted "The Fires out! Go back upstairs and get on the next train!"

We went upstairs and waited for the next train. It finally came by and, once again, pulled onto the NORTH BOUND SIDE OF THE TRAIN TRACKS!

It stopped for 5 minutes and, once again the driver kicked us all out saying the train was going back north!!!!!!! AGGGHHHHHH!!!!

All of a sudden, on the loud speakers, there was this announcement:

"WE TOLD YOU PEOPLE YOU NEEDED TO GET ON THE SHUTTLE BUSSES!!!!"

We went downstairs and there were finally shuttle busses. I got to work an hour late for a 45 minute ride.