Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Water is the frenemy.

I woke up to severe thunder and monsoon like downpours in Queens this morning. A full twenty minute before my alarm clock was set to go off, so feeling jilted by Mother Nature, I decided to debate whether or not I should hit the gym before work, as I usually do every morning. Since I was up and the rain seemingly slowing to a drizzle, I scrubbed my teeth and face and hauled ass to the subway.

7am: R train to Manhattan not running due to flooding. I follow the crowd and walk to the next subway stop, which is a major hub in Queens. Only to find out...

7:15am: R, E, V, F Manhattan bound trains are not running. Only running line into Manhattan is the above-ground 7 train, which is BAD enough on a regular day.

7:20am: Battled my way through what seemed like a world tour (no really, Queens is a melting (boiling) pot.) to get to the 7 platform.

7:30am: Overcrowded train stops, picks up 5 more people and heads off. I'm still on the platform.

7:45am: Waiting for the next 7 train.

7:55am: Still waiting.

8:02am: YES! Another packed 7 train....but my big head can't fit. Stranded on the platform. Again.

8:15am: The cloudy sky lifts but the refreshing 'after-the-storm' feeling gives way to hazy, humid 100+ temperatures in NYC. I am sweating in (thank jebus) my gym clothes.

8:20am: Push an old woman to get onto the 7. Sorry lady, I gots to get to they gym.

8:50am: 7 reaches 42nd-Grand Central, but the 4/5/6 lines downtown are not running due to flooding also. Crap...

8:55am: 7 reaches 42nd-Times Square, where I figure I'll catch the A/C/E line downtown to the Financial District...but...

9:04am: Police are not letting anyone onto the downtown A/C/E line...was it flooded too?

9:10am: Transfer to the 1/2/3 line which could take me close to where I need to be.

9:12am: Oops...only going to 34th street and turning back. WTF! I'm not catching a break so far today.

9:20am: Walk back down to the R/W/N/Q downtown platform that JUST started operating again.

9:30am: They were telling the truth right? *Wipes brow.*

9:45am: Q Express rolls up. Praise JEBUS!

10:00am: Didn't make my work out...now I'm just plain late for work. Q stops at Canal St. and the next stop is in BROOKLYN. FAK!

10:12am: 6 does not work at Canal. R/W is a nightmare. I decide to walk to work. From Canal.

10:20am: Hello office? I'm gonna be a little bit late today? P.S. - I'm making a side trip to the gym so I can shower my now stank, sweaty ass from this 100+ heat.

10:33am: Almost at the gym.

10:50am: Okay..it's farther than I thought, but now I'm here.

11:05am: Throw on the office gear, while still wet and run to the office.

11:15am: FINALLY AT WORK!!! But there nobody else here....CRAAP!

UGH!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Crap.... that sounds like all kinds of a crappy day... But I'm happy you weren't hurt... I saw the images on the news... that was insane! Dion called me, 7 in the morning, to tell me a tornado had hit his neighborhood... and I just thought "Tornado? In Brooklyn? What the...?"

Looks like the summer's been good to you so far, otherwise.

jay d said...

that's hectic man. i have a handful of executive type clients that i train and see up at the crack at dawn. mind you, not to take anything away from my job, but they, like you, not only hit the gym that early, but also face the same trials and tribulations that you do trying to get their asses to their desks. beynd and on top of THAT, they face work, itself, which in most cases isn't a walk in the park.

kudos to you in what you face everyday. that's messed up. and here i am complaining if i never get time to cook myself some oatmeal. ha.

life in nyc...nuts.

JD said...

the rat race in new york is bad enough that a tornado in the big apple just made slightly more difficult during the hazy, humid months...

but we survive and keep one eye on the prize, whatever it is we decide to move to.