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.
No comments:
Post a Comment