Did I tell you about the homeless woman who showed her whole ass when getting up from laying down across the seats on the train, and then tucked a shank underneath her wheelchair? Yeah, yeah I did. Well, this Thursday brought another pleasant adventure on the CTA. Getting off on Clark/Lake is always fun. That stop is the hub, the connecting point for most of the trains. On this particular morning, when I walked off the train, I saw another lady in a wheelchair; nothing against ladies in wheelchairs OK? She was sitting in the chair, with her leg up on the bench in the middle of the subway. Thing is, she didn’t have a full leg… it was a stump; it was from the knee up, just laying there, exposed on the bench, looking like one of those pounds of lunchmeat in their casings. The lady was just kind of sitting there… half out of it. Time to walk to work…
The CTA has brought many memories over the years; like I said, it keeps me grounded. I remember multiple times when somebody chain snatched and ran out the door; yeah, it’s been happening for decades, not just recently where everybody can watch it on video. You know, I see folks… all on their phones on the train, me included… and think, pay attention people. Yet, when I see old videos/pictures of back in the day, I see folks aboard the train, all of them with heads buried in their newspapers; it’s the same shit. Whether it’s actually reading about current events, reading a book, playing a game, or listening to music, we’re all on the same shit. Again, that’s something that’s NOT new… Yet, there are still times, when I wish people got robbed; yeah, I said it. When someone stands by the exit, flat out working on their iPad… I’m like, I wish someone would snatch it and run out; that would teach them a lesson. Don’t they know they’re in the big city now? No more home in the country, leaving house and car doors open as a habit. No, you need to be on your Ps and Qs in this place; you can’t be oblivious to it, like the people zoned in, walking alone, late or early, with their air buds in… they deserve it too; well, sort of.
Point is, you need to be aware. It won’t save you by any means, but… it could help deter something from happening and/or give you a second head start on what is about to happen. Unfortunately, more than ever, you need to be head on a swivel out there; don’t walk around with blinders on… you’re asking for it. No, keep an eye on what’s going on around you; that’s the least you could do. Yeah, we’re not in Kansas any more; millions of people running around this place.. not all of them good. Don’t get blind sided…
Good luck out there, and by no means am I telling you to NOT take the train; I’ve been taking the train most of my life. And even if you’re a lady coming into work at 6am, riding the train in with the homeless just before they wake up for the day, seeing more dick than you did when you were married due to guys exposing themselves, don’t worry; it’s OK. Yeah, you probably shouldn’t ride the train drunk by yourself, or risk getting robbed and hit in the head with a bottle. But you can certainly count on the CTA to get you from here to there… just keep your eyes open, OK?
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