Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 8 a.m.

The first day back after a long holiday and everyone looks extra tired even though you had one extra rest day. People are a little out of it and seem on edge like they can't believe the weekend is all over.

I was hit by that little drip of water again. I was to the extreme right side and stepped up my pace but nonetheless, it hit the side of my head.

I was seated in the parallel seats. At the next stop, someone got off who was sitting in the window seat. I moved to the empty seat. This woman and a child came on the train and she was carrying a pink furry bunny that was as large as the child. She sat next to me and the child sat in the parallel seat. When the child felt very far from his bunny, he stated he wanted to sit on her lap. I offered to switch seats with the child.

The train was a deja vu of a train ride last week. Often you see people more than once on the train but the doorhugging praying guy was there as well as the short, Asian man who used to go to my gym.

Two men and one woman entered at Fullerton. They had a very loud conversation in what I would guess to be Chinese or Vietnamese and was progressively getting louder as the train continued.

There was a pretty man standing in front of me in a summer outfit with some uniform/dress clothes on a hangar. Standing next to him was a not so pretty man in a black shirt, black shorts, black socks, black shows and the biggest gold wedding band I have ever seen.

The woman in the parallel seat with me was reading the bible and some other book that would reference the bible. She kept highlighting and it looked like she was trying to memorize it. She was very busy, pious, but busy.

Friday, May 26, 2006 - 7:40 a.m.

Two very yuppi-fied young men were serious talking in the parellel seats. They had pads and palm pilots out. They were exchanging secrets like teenage girls.

I sat next to a mousy woman for the first part of the ride. When we got to Belmont she bolted up without a word and stood there until I moved. Where is the "Excuse me?" or "Out please!" The mouseyness appeared to have swallowed her larynx.

There was an air of really not caring this morning. The potential of the three day weekend was evident on the physcial atitudes of the people on the train.

I saw my co-worker Matthew on the train. We had a lengthy discussion about lobby art in offices since the man who owns King Tut's Sarcophagus, keeps it in his office lobby. He was nice enough to loan it to the exhibit at the Field Museum. We branched into talking about all the lost art of the World Trade Center and what should the art be in our own lobby.

Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 8 a.m.

I was able to get a seat thankfully because I have not been feeling well the past few days and I am a little achey.

This woman got on with her New York Times and large, floral purse. She walked down the aisle to stand right next to me even though the aisle was pretty empty. She kept glaring at me during the entire ride. She was not old. She did not appear to be pregnant - both of which I would have given up my seat. This was a young vibrant and obviously lazy woman. She just did not figure that I was equally needing to sit, getting over a flu bug and the only thing keeping everything in my body was the fact that I was sitting down, reading my Anderson Cooper Vanity Fair.

And no, I have not gotten to the Anderson Cooper article yet.

Since I missed Monday and Tuesday, here are a couple of highlights of those rides to and from work:

> The "I just want you to see me" pandhandler was coming off the train as i was getting on at Lake. He was making sure he was seemed as he angrily shouted "EXCUSE ME! I AM LEAVING THE TRAIN"

> This young man was reading one of those end of time books titled something like the Devastating Conclusion or something like that. What I found interesting is the book had a pull out quote "You'll be captivated!"

Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 5 p.m.

It had been a while when I have ridden the train with someone causing a scene or panhandling. This ride I had both and the collision was interesting.

There was a man who when he walked by me smelled like the bar. He had obviously been drinking all day and drinking some of the strongest stuff around. He would stop anyone wearing a baseball cap and be like "Ah man, the Cubs are going all the way this year" or "Hey - the white sox are going to do it again!" Later his attention turned to a woman which he kept shouting "Excuse Me!", which she continued to ignore.

Through the far back door of the train entered a blind man. He had a cane, a cup with change and some ratty clothes. I gives him kudos for a new panhandling schpiel:

I am just a man who cannot see. I am asking for you to help see me. If you could see it to give me any spare change you may have. I am not trying to disturb you, I just want you to see me.

NOTE: I was not moved enough to give any change but thought it was an interesting take on it.

When the panhandling man started talking around the crazy, drunk guy - he was interrupted by some unintelligible yelling. He stopped his pitch and the drunk guy apologized for interrupting. The blind man said "it is allright - just trying to do my thing."

If only the rest of the world's problems could be solved with an apology and an acceptance of an apology.

Who is ...

Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:45 a.m.

I know I have said this before, but I want to join the club that happens to be out and about on the "el" at non-rush hour times.

Who was the man ... who was wearing a retainer and met a very excited effete man with a gold wedding band?

Who was the man ... who bailed on the gym yesterday and will be doing pecs and shoulders today before going to work (he mentioned this on his cell phone)?

Who were the men ... who had a conversation in an unrecognizable language but then answered the phone in perfect unaccented English?

Who was the woman ... that had to change seats to sit behind her companion so he could hear all her stories better?

Who are these people who do not have to be chained to a desk in a cubicle from 9-5 every day?


Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 5 p.m

This was the most non-descript train ride. So non-descript, I cannot describe any detail of it. Except for the fact that I am extremely enjoying my book, The History of Love, A Novel.

Mare Hay

Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 7:40 a.m.

There was a woman with some baggage standing by the bus stop near the Berwyn stop who appeared to be panhandling ... she was mumbling. I assume that her repeating "Mare Hay" was her version of "Spare Change".

On the train was a large, young man with long unruly hair. On his t-shirt was a skull but the teeth looked like a comb. He had written on his knuckles "KARE" on his right hand and "BEAR" on his left. How handy to be ambidextrous.

I got on the train and there were two seats. I chose the one closest being lazy and tired, not wanting to walk the extra few steps to the other seat. There was a man who appeared to be a little slow-witted. He insisted on wearing his backpack while being seated on the train which pushed into my side of the seat.

He was very twitchy the whole ride and at one point stared at me while I read my book for the duration of two stops. He dropped something and exclaimed "Sorry." When we pulled out of the Grand stop, he exclaimed "Excuse me" and bolted for the door with his backpack. I heard him shouting a bit by the door - more like yelps than actual words.

When we both got off of Lake, I saw him ahead of me on the street. When he stopped at the corner, he was doing a little dance which was a mix of happy, distressed or having to pee.

wanna split a cab?

Wednesday, May 3, 2006 - 7:35 a.m.

They were cleaning the station this morning. I was annoyed by all the wetness and the chemical smell. I had to sidestep the misting spray getting the graffiti off the walls. Then i realized that I am wrongly being annoyed. The station is getting clean and I should be grateful it is not my job.

I decided to read the Tribune this morning. Every morning, I get the Trbiune delivered to my door and pick up the RedEye. I have been reading the RedEye and skipping the tribune many mornings. My grandfather was a pressman. I was taught when you became an adult, you had the paper delivered to your door and you read it. This was your responsibility. This morning, I felt the need to stop ignoring the Tribune for its watered-down baby brother.

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 - 6:45 p.m.

The trains were not running north. I entered the Grand station and this woman tells me the train is not running north. My immediate internal response is "but I need to go north." Like this is some affront on me and why would the CTA fail me but not providing the cheapest and fastest way home.

I get on the street on overhear this man talking on his cell phone to his boyfriend (I am making a general assumption, yes, but I would place a monetary wager on his situation). He describes what needs to happen. When he hangs up with his BF, I ask him what we are supposed to do. He shrugs there is some bus on Michigan Avenue. He asks me where do I want to go which I reply "Andersonville" and he says me too. We exchange the address to our destination and it is only four blocks apart - both on Clark.

Seeing an opportunity, I ask him to split a cab. He agrees but needs to stop at an ATM.

On the way to mysterty ATM, he sees some friend who he hugs and chit-chats. I stand a distance to give him privacy but waiting for my cabmate to end his conversation so we could continue with our quest. This man comes back and says "um, I am going to visit my friend at this restaurant so see ya." I mumble "thanks anyway" not really meaning it.

1 - HOW RUDE - you have wasted my time and plans.
2 - You have all these friends you stop to chit-chat and visit yet are rude to strangers?
3 - INCONSIDERATE - I do not like strangers and sharing a cab was scary enough to be brushed off like that.

I fie upon the stranger man from last night.

As I was fuming, the Broadway bus came up. I settled into a seat and rode it from downtown to Berwyn. I had my crossword puzzle to keep me company.

On the bus, I was strangely paranoid about someone stealing my bag since when I got my paper out, my laptop was easily on display. I clutched my bag like Ruth Buzzi did when she portrayed that old lady who hit everyone with her bag. The bus emptied around Irving park enough for me to quell my fears.

Birdie Doo-Doo

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 - 7:45 a.m.

I am happily back to taking the train. I would love to had a long tome for you about yesterday's protest and trying to get home. That is what everyone seemed to focus on today at work. I worked from home yesterday and did not encounter the el or any protesters.

There was a large man with his large 9-year old son walking down the street. I saw them on the way to the station. I could not hear what they were saying except for when the man exclaimed, "See there an a good example of a car covered in birdie doo-doo."

This throwback girl to the punks in my high school was standing outsidce the train station. Black-dyed hair, thick eyeline, black leather jacket with "The Cure" stitched into it. She reminded me of this one girl who was a preppy popular girl in junior high and then became part of the punk crowd in high school.

I sat on the train next to this woman who had a conversation with herself the whole ride. "I just need to remind you ..." , "you know what I think about that ..." was coming out of her mouth. Nothing phase the flow of self-conversation. Even when I got up to exit the train, she was talking still.

I saw a co-worker on the train who was engrossed in his book. I made a point to not have him notice me. Don't get me wrong, I like this co-worker, Matthew, but he did have a serene quality to his reading.

I began the book, The History of Love, A Novel. I am hooked after the first 12 pages.