Life of the Lintee Bean

I take public transportation to and from work every day. I know many of you drive or even walk – where’s the fun in that? I take the el, or elevated train. Well, it’s not always elevated – sometimes it runs underground, which technically makes it a subway, but lots of cities have subways, that’s not very exciting – Chicago has an elevated train, though it’s not always elevated.

I walk nearly a mile to the blue line. I could drive part way, but I figure the exercise is good for me. I could drive all the way to work, but it would often take longer than the train and I don’t like sitting in traffic. Plus, paying over $100 per month for even the cheapest parking discourages me. Parking is over $20 per day in the lot closest to work. Then there would be the increase in my insurance rates – not worth it.

Riding the El is always an adventure. You get to see, hear, and smell all kinds of interesting people! One day last week I got to sit near someone who apparently was coughing up a hairball. I have cats. I know that sound. Another day I sat near someone who smelled overwhelmingly of fish.

To pass the time, many passengers (myself included) listen to music on their iPods or other personal music players. We’ll often read as well. I used to read a book or magazine until I took up crochet. Recently, I’ve been trying to crochet during my commute. It’s not easy – balancing my bag, yarn, and crocheting on my lap, and trying to crochet while keeping my elbows tucked in and with minimal hand movement. It may be part of why my finished objects aren’t particularly impressive.

They recently improved mobile phone service underground. Honestly, the improvement is something I would have gladly lived without. I don’t know why people find it necessary to talk loudly on their cell phones while riding the train. Do they forget that everyone can hear them, or do they just not care? Is the conversation really that important that they can’t wait until they get wherever they are going to have it? I know I don’t care to hear about what a jerk their boss is, or how their friend should leave their cheating boyfriend, or whatever other drama is going on in their life.

The adventure doesn’t end entirely once the train ride is over. Once we arrive, the hundreds of passengers exit and all try to leave the train station at the same time. This is particularly exciting now as the station I use is under construction and the only exit is one narrow stairway. So, hundreds of passengers are all ascending these stairs at the same time – like cattle in a chute led to slaughter, and often there happens to be other passengers wishing to descend the stairs to board the train. I walk through city hall, which also provides the fun of seeing “sandwich board guy” who protests something on the sidewalk outside city hall – wearing a cardboard crown, and sandwich board declaring something about Marx and heaven and shouting something understandable only to him.

submitted for publication in The Greeley Citizen