What Goes Around Comes Around

This morning when I got on the Brown Line, the end of the car was filled with a gaggle of CTA employees and those canvas buckets they tote around with their equipment inside. I eavesdropped as the group of train motormen nearest me compared runtimes and schedules, debating the pros and cons of Loopers vs. Shuttles. Then they moved on to complaining about riders who push the call button accidentally and fail to respond to the driver.

"I'm like, "Do you need assistance? DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE?' And nothing. Nothing!" said one man.

"You should say what I say," replied another. He lowered his voice to a monotone. "What is your emergency.'"

The other motormen cracked up. "What is your emergency!" they hooted, slapping their thighs."Your emergency!"

I don't know either, but they thought it was hilarious.

At Belmont, they stood to shuffle the canvas buckets and seating arrangements. They were still standing when, in a move familiar to commuters across Chicago, the train suddenly and without warning lurched forward out of the station. Seasoned commuters were ready for it, but the motormen went sprawling. One guy fell right into another guy's lap, while three more just managed to snag handrails and save themselves from sailing down the aisle. They picked themselves up amid mutterings of "Damn!" and "Christ!" and "Why you gotta sit on me, man?"

I looked at the girl next to me and we grinned.

Nothing like a little taste of your own medicine for breakfast.

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First day of school!



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I was kind of bored on Saturday so I became an ordained minister. I am available for casual weddings, pet funerals, and Halloween.