The sun’s shining, but you curse its very life-warming essence, that’s how far down in the H.O. you are today. But the air smells crisp, and if it wasn’t for your inevitable arrival at your place of employment, life wouldn’t be so bad after all. You approach your BART station, stick your ticket through, and ascend/descend to the requisite platform. A seasoned traveler, you don’t have to wait long, no, not long at all, for your train to arrive.
And sure, your earphones are coddling your hangover. It’s not soo bad. It doesn’t matter where on the train you choose. Wherever you’re going, your day is about to be perfect.
This is why: Over the bitter strains of Belle and Sebastian, or maybe you’ve given in and bought a Brighteyes album… whatever your poison, fate interrupts, and you hear my voice – yes! my voice!! – announcing the approaching BART station. Your body fills with glee. Just imagine. “Dublin/Pleasanton.” Maybe I would pronounce the forward slash “Dublin-forward-slash-Pleasanton.” Maybe you’re not going to DP. You’re going to 12 street. “Twelth Street” – can you hear it?!! And then, how eloquently I would deliver the transfer instructions! Oh. That’s the sound of sweetness, that’s what that would be. Your toes would curl in anticipation. You wouldn’t be able to wait to detrain. And when you did, there’d be my smiling face peeking out of the top of the train. Waving; ensuring all my passengers safely made it off the train, over that little gap and up the stairs.
Yes, yes, this would be perfection. This is my calling. I am ready. Sometimes I might misspeak and say “MacBart” rather than “MacArthur.” I’ll develop a following. Folks will laugh – actually laugh – on my BART train. We’ll have dance parties when we go under the bay. I’ll turn on my mini radio, and abuse the microphone. I’ll open the doors at strange places late at night. We’ll let on the loonies, and never complain.
And let’s say you and I have plans for the evening, but we have yet to finalize them. While commuting, all you need do is press that little button (maybe three times) and you will actually talk to me way up at the front of the train in the control pit! We’ll have a quick chat, and arrange to meet at 16th and Guerrero at 5:15. I’ve been working since three a.m. – it will be time for drink. And then you’re not going to wonder all day when we’re going to meet up as you otherwise might have.
I say, life is grand. We’re not even going to need cell phones anymore. Now, aren’t you glad to see me?
this one time i was going home on the pbbp train and at 12th street the conductor said “and those of you going to the fabulous richmond line, step across here.” actually, it was something much better. but he really made my day because he was all into it and all into the richmond line.
OH!!!!!! YOU HAVE TO BE A BART CONDUCTOR BECAUSE I WANT THAT ba BACKPACK THEY GET!!!!!!!! GIMME ONE GIMME ONE GIMME ONE!!!
this one time i was going home on the pbbp train and at 12th street the conductor said “and those of you going to the fabulous richmond line, step across here.” actually, it was something much better. but he really made my day because he was all into it and all into the richmond line.
OH!!!!!! YOU HAVE TO BE A BART CONDUCTOR BECAUSE I WANT THAT ba BACKPACK THEY GET!!!!!!!! GIMME ONE GIMME ONE GIMME ONE!!!