God and the MBTA

This morning I searched the house in Vain for my "Charlie Card" - the plastic ticket that gives me cheaper fares on the MBTA, our local subway. It was really frustrating to not be able to find it.

When I got on the bus, I asked the driver if there was anyway I could get the free subway transfer without the card. "No" is what he said. Still frustrated, I got off the bus and walked the five minutes to the trolley stop. I was going to try to buy a ticket for the train fare that would allow me to transfer on the way home, but the machine didn't dispense the Charlie Cards. Frustrated again, I glanced over at a nearby machine and found a ticket for a free subway ride sticking out of it. Apparently, someone had purchased it and not taken it. There was no else there, so I took it and got a free ride the rest of the way to work.

On the way home, I asked the trolley driver where if I could get the Charlie card from her, but She was all out. I sat down right behind her, only to have her call me back and tell me that she'd arranged for someone to meet us at the next stop so I could get a card. And sure enough, at the next stop, an "inspector" showed up with a card. As I thanked him for it, I asked if there was a way to use it for the transfer. Hmm, both he and the driver said. They spent the next two stops trying to figure it out, but couldn't. Finally he asked me what bus I was going to. When I told him it was about a five minute walk from the train, he looked outside and said "it's a nice day, I'll walk over with you." And he did.

So what happened? I was angry in the morning, but by the time I got the bus stop, I wasn't anymore. But I didn't give up trying to get my transfers, because I asked the drivers to help me. Somehow my anger in the morning built up power that I followed all day. Now I have to figure out how to do this on purpose!