Greetings Readers
The Sun has made an appearance in all her glory - finally. Anyway, let me tell you Readers about this incident in my past....
Some of you faithful Readers know I have my moods. Most times it does not take much to piss me off. Yes, I admit and confess to that; after all I would be liar to say that I did not.
This incident happened the day I was leaving for our Ranch in New Mexico. I did all the work at work that I needed to do before leaving for my short vacation. I went home and got my bags then left for the bus station that is located downtown.
I went to the bus stop that is located near me since I would need to take the bus to the Arapahoe Light Rail Station.
Eventually, I got to the Light Rail Station, but I missed the Light Rail Train going North since the ticket machine was fucking with my money. I hate these fucking machines – you cannot plug the money right after another. You have to actually let the coin go in and wait about 2 seconds before depositing the next coin. Otherwise, if the coin follows the first coin to closely the second coin will be returned to you. Your fucked when the Light Rail Train is there and you have coins galore to feed into the machine. Needless to say I was fucked.
Bye bye Light Trail Train.
Damn.
So, I got my upgrade ticket and had to wait for the next Light Rail Train going to 18th and California. I was the only one waiting there since I just missed the Light Rail Train. As I waited a Light Rail Train going South arrived. Soon all the Light Rail Train Riders that needed to get off got off. All, but one with a child headed to wherever they were going.
I waiting at one of the entrances I normally board at. While I noticed the person with the child in tow was standing near me about three feet. I did not acknowledge this person, because I could care less. Although, I did wonder why this person was not going wherever they needed to go. Nor did this person go to the ticket machine located at the other side of the Light Rail Station.
About 10 minutes later the Train that I needed to get on was coming into the Arapahoe Light Rail Station. Since I was there first I was first in line to board. Yet, this person walked without so much a look at me to indicate that she was going to cut in front of me with their child. Readers, I have no problem with letting a person get ahead with me with a child in tow, but not to so much even acknowledge me as “please may I cut in” look or something to that effect.
Nope. Nada. Nothing.
Not that you have to guess; I got a bit pissed off. Then to top this off when the Light Rail Train was about to stop there was two bike riders; a man and a woman (probably in their early 20’s) who were getting ready to get off with their bikes.
The person who cut in front of me without so much as glance at me started to go into the Light Rail Train without letting the bike riders get out first. The guy immediately made this person trying to board the Train stop them in their track and made no effort to move. That person with child in tow immediately moved out of the way just enough to let him out with his bike.
Now, here is the fucked up thing. Readers, while the wait was about 10 minutes not many riders showed up, which meant that there was about 5 other entrances to the three other Light Rail Trains that were connected together going to 18th and California. Of all places to board this person chose the entrance I was waiting at and to cut in front of me. That is messed up Readers.
As soon as the guy was off the Train that person with child in tow immediately boarded the train. The look on the woman biker’s face was the pure “What the fuck” look. I could not believe what I just witnessed either. As soon as the person with child in tow was clear the woman with her bike was able to disembark. Yes, I waited until the woman and her bike was off the Train before I got on.
That person with the child in tow took the middle seats between the doors of the Light Rail Train meanwhile I took one of the small seats near the end of the Light Rail Train cars.
Soon the Light Rail Train was off and running. A thought occurred to me this person did not buy a ticket while I was listening to my Ipod.
Then, it was not even 15 seconds later that person with the child in tow pulls out a cell phone and then starts speaking in a language I did not know. This person was not talking normally, but at a loud enough volume to bother me and one more rider on the Light Rail Train.
I was already pissed at this person for cutting in front of me and now to be talking too loudly I was getting more pissed off. To get me going I started talking out loud about how I could not hear my music for someone talking too loudly on a cell phone.
That person with child in tow and cell phone firmly against their ear ignored me or did not even know that I was talking out loud about them. I probably looked ridiculous myself. Oakley’s on when there was no sunlight, my earphones in and me just looking like “do not even think about fucking with me” look on my face.
Two Light Rail stops later “the man” boarded. I was getting more pissed off as the seconds rolled by and I still could hear that person talking loudly on the cell phone in a language I could not identify. “The man” then asks me for my fare. I pulled out my ticket upgrade and my bus transfer and held it out in my palm to “the man”. I did not look at “the man”, but just continued to look at the person with the child in tow with the cell phone firmly placed against their ear.
Out of the corner of my eye I could actually see “the man” really checking out my tickets. I could care less at the moment, but would have if I were not focused on the person with the child in tow. I would say about 20 seconds later I hear “thank you” from “the man” and at that moment I looked at “the man” and pointed at that person with the child in tow “they do not have a ticket.”
“The man” nods his head at me and then walks to the person with child in tow.
“Ticket please” I hear the “the man” say to the person with the child in tow.
At this point I push stop on my ipod, because I wanted to see what was going to happen.
“Excuse me, ticket please,” I hear “the man” repeat himself.
The person with child in tow did not even look at “the man.” The person with child in tow just kept talking loudly in whatever language they were talking in to the person on the other end of the cell phone call.
“Ma’am.”
She looks at with him while talking on the cell phone.
“I need to see your ticket.”
“Ma’am. Your ticket please.”
Eventually, she hangs up the cell phone and then starts to look in her purse. Two stops later, she pulls out a bus transfer ticket.
“Ma’am this is from this morning. I need to see a current ticket please.”
“Do you understand me? What is your name?”
She looks at “the man” without saying a word.”
“Your name please”
Readers I am going to sum up the next part. “The man” asked her for her Date of birth. Where is she going. To no avail. Soon, “the man” got her to call whoever she was talking to get some answers. “The Man” was not going to walk away and give up.
“The man” has a conversation with the other person on the other end of the call and soon it was worked out that she was getting off at Broadway – he also got her name.
When the Light Rail Train eventually arrived at the Broadway Station I saw “the man” get off and then the woman with child in tow got up to get off also. As the woman got up she looked directly at me – “the death to you” look and it was at that moment I smiled my pearly whites directly at her. She eventually turned away, but when she got off the train she stared me down from the Broadway platform. She knew she was in trouble with “the man.”
This was due justice in the world – the ying and the yang.
For her incredible behavior for cutting in front of me, for not letting one of the bike riders to disembark from the Light Rail train first and for talking so loudly on the Light Rail Train and being rude to other passengers this was her punishment for being insolent to others on that faithful evening.
Now, you Readers may think this was my fault, but it was not. If I had not said anything to “the man” he would have asked for her ticket anyway. The woman with child in tow may have been doing this type of thing for a while. Perhaps the woman with child in tow may have been getting warnings up to this point. Perhaps. You can not claim I did not know you had to buy a ticket when there are usually more than two ticket machines located at most of the Light Rail Stations.
Yes, I got a certain satisfaction when “the man” walked her away from the Light Rail Train at the Broadway Station. Call it fate. Call it what comes around goes around. Call it karma. Call it you just “f’d in the A.”
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
The Sun has made an appearance in all her glory - finally. Anyway, let me tell you Readers about this incident in my past....
Some of you faithful Readers know I have my moods. Most times it does not take much to piss me off. Yes, I admit and confess to that; after all I would be liar to say that I did not.
This incident happened the day I was leaving for our Ranch in New Mexico. I did all the work at work that I needed to do before leaving for my short vacation. I went home and got my bags then left for the bus station that is located downtown.
I went to the bus stop that is located near me since I would need to take the bus to the Arapahoe Light Rail Station.
Eventually, I got to the Light Rail Station, but I missed the Light Rail Train going North since the ticket machine was fucking with my money. I hate these fucking machines – you cannot plug the money right after another. You have to actually let the coin go in and wait about 2 seconds before depositing the next coin. Otherwise, if the coin follows the first coin to closely the second coin will be returned to you. Your fucked when the Light Rail Train is there and you have coins galore to feed into the machine. Needless to say I was fucked.
Bye bye Light Trail Train.
Damn.
So, I got my upgrade ticket and had to wait for the next Light Rail Train going to 18th and California. I was the only one waiting there since I just missed the Light Rail Train. As I waited a Light Rail Train going South arrived. Soon all the Light Rail Train Riders that needed to get off got off. All, but one with a child headed to wherever they were going.
I waiting at one of the entrances I normally board at. While I noticed the person with the child in tow was standing near me about three feet. I did not acknowledge this person, because I could care less. Although, I did wonder why this person was not going wherever they needed to go. Nor did this person go to the ticket machine located at the other side of the Light Rail Station.
About 10 minutes later the Train that I needed to get on was coming into the Arapahoe Light Rail Station. Since I was there first I was first in line to board. Yet, this person walked without so much a look at me to indicate that she was going to cut in front of me with their child. Readers, I have no problem with letting a person get ahead with me with a child in tow, but not to so much even acknowledge me as “please may I cut in” look or something to that effect.
Nope. Nada. Nothing.
Not that you have to guess; I got a bit pissed off. Then to top this off when the Light Rail Train was about to stop there was two bike riders; a man and a woman (probably in their early 20’s) who were getting ready to get off with their bikes.
The person who cut in front of me without so much as glance at me started to go into the Light Rail Train without letting the bike riders get out first. The guy immediately made this person trying to board the Train stop them in their track and made no effort to move. That person with child in tow immediately moved out of the way just enough to let him out with his bike.
Now, here is the fucked up thing. Readers, while the wait was about 10 minutes not many riders showed up, which meant that there was about 5 other entrances to the three other Light Rail Trains that were connected together going to 18th and California. Of all places to board this person chose the entrance I was waiting at and to cut in front of me. That is messed up Readers.
As soon as the guy was off the Train that person with child in tow immediately boarded the train. The look on the woman biker’s face was the pure “What the fuck” look. I could not believe what I just witnessed either. As soon as the person with child in tow was clear the woman with her bike was able to disembark. Yes, I waited until the woman and her bike was off the Train before I got on.
That person with the child in tow took the middle seats between the doors of the Light Rail Train meanwhile I took one of the small seats near the end of the Light Rail Train cars.
Soon the Light Rail Train was off and running. A thought occurred to me this person did not buy a ticket while I was listening to my Ipod.
Then, it was not even 15 seconds later that person with the child in tow pulls out a cell phone and then starts speaking in a language I did not know. This person was not talking normally, but at a loud enough volume to bother me and one more rider on the Light Rail Train.
I was already pissed at this person for cutting in front of me and now to be talking too loudly I was getting more pissed off. To get me going I started talking out loud about how I could not hear my music for someone talking too loudly on a cell phone.
That person with child in tow and cell phone firmly against their ear ignored me or did not even know that I was talking out loud about them. I probably looked ridiculous myself. Oakley’s on when there was no sunlight, my earphones in and me just looking like “do not even think about fucking with me” look on my face.
Two Light Rail stops later “the man” boarded. I was getting more pissed off as the seconds rolled by and I still could hear that person talking loudly on the cell phone in a language I could not identify. “The man” then asks me for my fare. I pulled out my ticket upgrade and my bus transfer and held it out in my palm to “the man”. I did not look at “the man”, but just continued to look at the person with the child in tow with the cell phone firmly placed against their ear.
Out of the corner of my eye I could actually see “the man” really checking out my tickets. I could care less at the moment, but would have if I were not focused on the person with the child in tow. I would say about 20 seconds later I hear “thank you” from “the man” and at that moment I looked at “the man” and pointed at that person with the child in tow “they do not have a ticket.”
“The man” nods his head at me and then walks to the person with child in tow.
“Ticket please” I hear the “the man” say to the person with the child in tow.
At this point I push stop on my ipod, because I wanted to see what was going to happen.
“Excuse me, ticket please,” I hear “the man” repeat himself.
The person with child in tow did not even look at “the man.” The person with child in tow just kept talking loudly in whatever language they were talking in to the person on the other end of the cell phone call.
“Ma’am.”
She looks at with him while talking on the cell phone.
“I need to see your ticket.”
“Ma’am. Your ticket please.”
Eventually, she hangs up the cell phone and then starts to look in her purse. Two stops later, she pulls out a bus transfer ticket.
“Ma’am this is from this morning. I need to see a current ticket please.”
“Do you understand me? What is your name?”
She looks at “the man” without saying a word.”
“Your name please”
Readers I am going to sum up the next part. “The man” asked her for her Date of birth. Where is she going. To no avail. Soon, “the man” got her to call whoever she was talking to get some answers. “The Man” was not going to walk away and give up.
“The man” has a conversation with the other person on the other end of the call and soon it was worked out that she was getting off at Broadway – he also got her name.
When the Light Rail Train eventually arrived at the Broadway Station I saw “the man” get off and then the woman with child in tow got up to get off also. As the woman got up she looked directly at me – “the death to you” look and it was at that moment I smiled my pearly whites directly at her. She eventually turned away, but when she got off the train she stared me down from the Broadway platform. She knew she was in trouble with “the man.”
This was due justice in the world – the ying and the yang.
For her incredible behavior for cutting in front of me, for not letting one of the bike riders to disembark from the Light Rail train first and for talking so loudly on the Light Rail Train and being rude to other passengers this was her punishment for being insolent to others on that faithful evening.
Now, you Readers may think this was my fault, but it was not. If I had not said anything to “the man” he would have asked for her ticket anyway. The woman with child in tow may have been doing this type of thing for a while. Perhaps the woman with child in tow may have been getting warnings up to this point. Perhaps. You can not claim I did not know you had to buy a ticket when there are usually more than two ticket machines located at most of the Light Rail Stations.
Yes, I got a certain satisfaction when “the man” walked her away from the Light Rail Train at the Broadway Station. Call it fate. Call it what comes around goes around. Call it karma. Call it you just “f’d in the A.”
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
No comments:
Post a Comment