A Stranger In The Dark
Funny thing happened on the way to the airport tonight. I'm taking the R1 through Center City, lost in the Philadelphia Weekly, and expecting the crowds to thin when we get to University City. Only more people pile on.
A couple stops later, nothing looks familiar. Nothing sounds familiar. I'm heading somewhere into Delaware County, and I've got to get off now.
So I grab my stuff and tell the conductor, who looks at me and shakes his head. Gotta cross over and catch the next train back to University City, right? Right.
The stop is Sharon Hill. It's raining. It's dark. There are just a couple of other passengers with me heading up the steps. I cross the bridge and look down - there's no cover. Just a lot of steep, lonely steps, and no telling when the next train is going to come by.
The man in front of me turns, and asks I'm all right. He's heard the conversation. It might be better to stay up on the lighted street until I see the train, he says. Crap. Ok, I check out a couple spots sheltered from the rain and where I might not look like some lost guy with two pieces of luggage.
Then I see him walking back toward me. He's a tall black man with a salt and pepper beard, a leather ball cap and a quiet way. He opens up his wallet and shows a SEPTA ID. He's a supervisor, head of the night shift, railroad division, he says. Name's Cecil R. Landon, and he's going to get his car - a couple blocks away - and then he's going to drive me to the airport, which he does, and we talk a little about family and dogs and faith along the way.
Sometimes I love this town.
moved here from NYC and within the first few months of my new regional rail commute, I was held up for four hours on a broken-down R6. Switched jobs that gave me a walking commute, and after moving to a new neighborhood I'm back on public transportation - this time via bus. I love it.
Gives you a little faith in your fellow man, no? Philadelphia: the City of Brotherly Love.
In spite of my vehement SEPTA hate, Ive always tried to remain open-minded about the individual SEPTA employees. I dont automatically assume that each one of them is a bumbling incompetent idiot (though many do eventually live up to tha...