Office Space Moment

During my morning commute the other day I experienced what I like to refer to as an “Office Space Moment.” You know the part in the movie “Office Space,” where Peter is stuck in traffic, and every time he switches lanes, the lane he was just in moves ahead while he gets stuck? Well that same thing can happen while riding the T.

The Green Line has four separate routes you can take out of Boston (B, C, D and E). All of these routes go to Arlington Street (my stop), so I have the luxury of jumping on whatever line arrives first. The other morning, upon climbing the stairs to the Green Line platform, I saw a B line waiting with its doors open. I ran to catch it, thinking how lucky I was that I did not have to wait for a train. A few seconds later the feeling of dread spread over me when I realized that the train I ran to catch was not in fact leaving, but standing by. At that very moment and to my delight, a C line train was approaching. It was like Christmas! I eagerly jumped off the stalled B line and ran to the C line (for some reason the C line is my favorite…I swear the cars are cleaner!). The very moment I boarded the pristine C line, I saw the B line, from where I just came, take off. Disappointed, but not defeated, I braced myself for the familiar pull of the T rolling away from the platform. A few seconds later, still bracing, I heard the words that were becoming all too familiar to me that morning: “we are standing by.” This is the point where I started to get really annoyed. Just then, an E line train appeared across the platform. My immediate reaction was to get off the C line and try my luck with the E—but my past experiences that morning taught me better. Do I evacuate the train I am on and board the new one in hopes that the new train will leave the station first? It was a gamble, but I decided to take it. Hesitantly, I abandoned the C line, and to my utter dismay, I heard the creak of the doors close behind me. The C line left the station. With a head hung low, I moved toward the E line praying that this nightmare would end. I boarded the train and a few seconds later, the doors closed and we took off. And that is what I like to call an “Office Space Moment.”

Completely unrelated to that incident—I would like to give my good friend Adam Freedman a shout out for successfully climbing the 176 steps at the Porter Square T station yesterday. Having used that T station for a year, I know that this is not an easy task.

Happy Riding!