It Finally Happened...

... the thing that I've been fearing the most since I heard the words, "Public Transportation."

Let me just set the scene for you.

I was planning on leaving work early today, and I was just so excited! Getting on the early train means getting home at 6:15 opposed to 7:00. I know it's only 45 minutes, but to me, it's the world.

So at the end of the day things kind of went crazy. I had forgot to do something for one of the events this weekend and getting out at 5:00 just didn't happen. That's fine, whatever. But when I got out the door at 5:11, i was certain that I could still make the 5:28 train. So i did my normal routine. I called my mom and talk to her for a bit, quickening the pace just a little. I called Dan and told him wasn't sure if I was going to be home early but I was sure going to try. And then I hung up the phone, looked at my watch, and decided that I really needed to start booking it if I were going to make it.

The scene was something right out of a movie, I'm sure. I was running down Michigan Avenue. In my snow boots and ear-muffs, with a shopping bag full of things that I've accumulated at work... I was dodging in and out of people, going through cross-walks that had "stop" signals, dodging taxi-cabs, hitting tourists with my work and shopping bags, and I finally made it to the train station. I was at a full-on sprint by this time... There is probably a 300 yard straight shot that you have to take once you get underground from the stairs to the train platform and I probably set a new world-record at that distance.

I see the train... the lights are blinking... a see the doors starting to shut... I keep running... and the door slams shut just as I get there. I saw one of the conductors inside and I just start to bang on the window and she looks at me and says... "Step Away, Mam... The Train Is Leaving The Station!" I about died...

And so it happened. I sprinted for 4 blocks and 300 yards for nothing... only to be stuck there for another 28 minutes to wait for the next train... It's the first time, but I'm sure it's not the last. I am now just "that girl" that ran for the train and missed it... Not so much my favorite. But it's a pretty good story.