Boston's MBTA is the oldest subway system in America, and it shows. Getting from point A to point B is a hit or miss proposition at the best of times on crowded trains riding along an antiquated track not up to federal safety standards.
But today was among my worst experiences using the T in my 20 plus years in the Boston area. A few seconds after boarding the Red Line at Porter Square, we were informed we would be standing by for 2 minutes. We were then informed there was a fire alarm at Downtown Crossing. That fire alarm would become a full-fledged fire and we were informed the Red Line would travel one stop to Harvard Square. From there shuttle buses would replace Red Line service between Harvard and JFK/UMass.
The problem was there were no shuttle buses to be found and they would not arrive for another 20 minutes.
And did I mention it was snowing?
I start work at 9 a.m. Today, I did not get into the office until 10:43 a.m.
Because Downtown Crossing also services the Orange Line, much of it had to use shuttle buses as well. Complicating matters is that much of the Green Line is down due to scheduled maintenance.
It was the kind of day in which I wished I was working from home. Although I did so while I was convalescing from my kidney stone last November and for occasional overtime projects, much of my duties require me to be onsite. So, it is just one of those annoyances and inconveniences which comes with living in and around Boston.
I suppose it could be worse. The train didn't derail, the escalator didn't collapse, no debris fell on me nor did I have to jump off a train into the Mystic River. But give it time. For as long as I ride the T, these fates are not beyond the realm of possibility.
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