A Miserable Morning on the MBTA

Life is full of annoyances and inconveniences. 

As such, one has to factor that these are more likely to happen than not. When these occurrences happen, one must realize it is beyond your control and out of your hands. This isn't to say there aren't ways around these mishaps but sometimes these roundabouts cause their own share of problems.

Today was not the first time I've had MBTA trouble, and it will not be the last - planned or otherwise.

I knew something was amiss when I saw a large number of people in front of the Porter Square T station on Somerville Avenue. No way that many people are waiting for a bus to Central Square. I overheard a gentleman talking and then approached him a minute later. He told me there was a fire emergency and Red Line service between Alewife and Park Street had been halted. 

There was to be shuttle bus service across the street. But after more than 20 minutes, nothing was happening. It was also very warm and sunny. That's fine except my fair skin doesn't do well standing in the sun for prolonged periods. I eventually joined the throngs of people who decided to cross the street and catch the Commuter Rail from Porter Square to North Station.

The ride to North Station was fine. The trick was getting out of North Station. The MBTA installed turnstiles where you have to scan ticket to leave the station. This is an effort to deter the homeless population. The problem is I didn't have the right type of card. Fortunately, I found a MBTA staffer who pet pity on me and let me out. Fortunately, this wasn't an airport in Paris much less "Charlie on the MTA".

Still, let's just say I'm not looking forward to these turnstiles coming to South Station later this year.

Once liberated from North Station, I took the Green Line to Park and saw that Red Line service had resumed. I was nearly 45 minutes late for work. Not the end of the world. But annoying and inconvenient.

What I worry about is something like this happening on the morning I fly to Pittsburgh en route to West Virginia in mid-June. It's one thing to be late for work. You can make up the time. But if I miss my flight then I'm up the proverbial creek. I can only hope it doesn't come to that. Not much else I can do.