You'd think this happens a lot, given my little experience riding the subway. But in fact, even though I've lived here for so short a time, I feel I know the subway system. How it works and the like. Perhaps that's why I took the wrong train to begin with; I trusted I knew where I was going.
I like my station. It's small, dingy, and always has at least one homeless person in it. It's home. Best part about my station is that it only has two trains: the B and C, which means less people. The C takes me uptown to work in Washington Heights in a quick ten minutes and back down home in less. I don't have much use for the B, so imagine my surprise when we reach the stop "161 St. - Yankee Stadium"... in the BRONX!
I think back for a minute. I took the C... right? I was so sure. So sure, in fact, that for a moment I even thought they built a whole new station on the C, in a day no less! Nope, I was on the B. In the Bronx. With twenty minutes to get to work and a dead phone.
It's said that if it takes less than forty minutes to get somewhere in New York than you're making good time. How was I going to hoof it back to 145th so I could go uptown to 168th in half that time? With sheer luck and a lot of running, that's how.
167th: I dash out of the car (not before saying a quick hello to a little one), run up the stairs, briefly meet the Bronx for the first time as I'm leaping across the street to the downtown Manhattan line, spend another $2.25, wait for a few minutes, and with fifteen minutes left get on the D back home.
But I'm not going back home. Two stops later I'm back on the island ("We have to go back, Kate! We have to go back!!!") and breathe a short sigh of relief. Not a big one, mind you. I'm still not out of the urban woods yet. A stop after that and I again dash out of the car to try and make an uptown train. If you miss one, you've got to wait another ten minutes, and I only have twelve to go.
145th: Race up two narrow flights of stairs, navigate my way to the track I need (luckily I don't need to spend another $2.25 this time), and admire the coolness of a track above another track while I wait for my train. A or C. Either one will do. Ten minutes to go, and I need something. Hoofing it even comes to mind. Might be better than waiting.
But I do not wait long. Only minutes pass and the A train comes ("You must take the A train!"). The Express. My subway guardian angel. See, the C train would have been perfectly acceptable. With the C, I would go through about 3 stops and arrive late to work. Late, but I'd get there. But not with the A train, oh no no no! From 145th, the A train takes you straight to 168th. My stop.
A bumpy rocket sends us flying uptown. I don't sit. Can't sit. I've only got 7 minutes!
The train opens and I come running out. Eyes set on the prize, and this time (as opposed to 145th) I know the station.
I head straight for the stairs on the other side, all the while strategizing how to weave through these people, my head going faster than my feet.
I make it to the other side. I reach the surface. I'm almost there!
I have to wait for the light.
But I don't wait for the light. I do as all who live here do and cross. Cars coming? Eh. Traffic? What of it? Impending doom? Over my dead body.
I cross the street, open the door to my work, and make it with 4 minutes to spare! 4 MINUTES! I gasp for water as I do a victory lap in my head. I have passed through the underground gauntlet, and I have made it out the other side victorious.
In other news: It's hot. Mind-frying hot. I don't know how people do it year after year. Something I'll have to learn to deal with, right?
But in more good news: I found out today that those with Equity Membership Candidacy (or EMC for short, or "points" for anyone like me who never knew they were called EMC until you had to sign up for them) get to be the first seen after equity members in equity auditions. So it goes: equity, EMC, non-union. EMC still has to wait, but they have a much greater chance of being seen! Right before I left, I did a show which started my EMC. I may only have six points, but that still qualifies me to be seen after as a candidate after equity!
I was going to give myself these first three months to get myself situated with the city: see the town, learn the subway, feel at home. But with my daring escapade on the train today I feel I just might be ready to get ready to throw my hat in the ring.
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