Sunday, August 10, 2014

A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE

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That’s me; I’m on the lam so to speak.

Machines and me, especially those that don’t cut grass or wood, but instead have digital demons in them that talk to me, just don’t get along. No, we have a long history going back to my first such computer encounter in a supermarket self-checkout. We got into an awful discussion and there was some cussing and things, things I wish I had never said, but the computer voice was no angel leading me to the edge.

I arrived at Penn Station to discover I still needed to buy tokens for the subway, and discovered to my chagrin, THEY DON’T USE TOKENS ANYMORE! They have now made it complicated for me, an old guy looking to take the #2 train to Wall Street.

Looking around for a moment amid all the scurrying about by the commuters who do this every day, I feel like I’m in the way and start looking for a Metro Card seller, that is a live honest-to-goodness person of the flesh and blood type. There are none to be had! The thought comes over me: I have to deal with a machine!

Looking about I see a young lady standing at a machine, and on the machine is a picture of the metro card I’m looking for. It sells only tickets for the LIRR. Feeling defeated I look some more at other locations and still the same thing. Giving up I go to the Information Desk and inquire where there may be a place to purchase one such card. I am told to go to the other side of the building, a long corridor like place and there will be a token booth and a machine where you can purchase one either way.

Suddenly I feel good again, the world is not so bad, and I will do this. I start my trek, dodging and feinting people on my way until I see what suddenly feels like an oasis of sanity, amidst the dessert of human tragedy, I get on the long line and slowly inch forward until I get to the ticket window. Suddenly the guy behind the window starts to frantically run his forefinger across his throat! Now if someone in NYC’s subway system does that it could mean a number of things, none of which I would want to wait around for. It turns out he is out of Metro Cards and directs me to another long line behind the dreaded ‘Machine”!

I start to wonder about all this as I get on line and ask the guy in front of me how this machine works, he in astonishment says not to ask him because he is worried too, and he is with his family and they are from out of town, so I am out of luck. But he invites me to get ahead of him, so he can watch me and learn! I feel like someone who is about to be executed, is waiting his turn and is pushed ahead!

I reluctantly move ahead and finally my turn comes. There are many people on the line behind me, who are all in a hurry and will step over your caucus to get to work. I touch the screen for English and begin my trial and error, discovering because I am buying this ticket from the machine for a two-way fare that costs $5.00, I will have to pay an extra dollar! The crooks have taken over the subways without a gun and mask! It comes to $6.00, and what are you going to do? I get even, that’s what: and without even planning it!


I hurry off to the subway and see a gate with a ticket taker, a machine that deducts the fare from your Metro Card. I swipe the card and nothing happens, the gate won’t move! I swipe again and still nothing happens. Standing there is despair: when a lady comes from the train and through the gate, leaving it to slowly close. I grab the gate and open it and cross over to the trackside. I am now a fugitive of justice, a target of the long arm of the law! I look around and don’t notice any cameras and so for the rest of the day in NYC, I will be looking over my shoulder. I’m getting a free ride AND my dollar back for using the machine from the crooks of the MTA!

Standing on the platform, I start looking at the signs for downtown but nothing says up or down. Suddenly this young Asian tourist, a woman comes up to me and asks in broken English how to get to Town Square. I scratch my head and wonder myself. Town Square? In New York City, they have a “Town Square”? Suddenly a New Yorker appears out of the crowd and helps the lady, it turns out she wants TIMES Square and sends her on her way.  But I stop the New Yorker before she leaves to ask which side of the #2 Train tracks I’m on and she directs me across the way.

And so Dear Reader, if you don’t suddenly see a blogue one day, know that they don’t allow them in prisons for fare-beaters and murderers.

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