Flashbacks

The 5th anniversary of my move to Boston is on Sunday. (more on that later) I've been reading through old emails from my first few months here, and found this gem from my second day at a temp job downtown. I had been in Boston about two weeks. Some of you may remember this...

So, it was a good day and I got off at 345... nice, huh??? Well, I took the train from South Station to Davis Square where I catch a bus to my street. Only problem was it was so cold and nasty out that I got impatient and decided to take the 90 bus instead of the 89. I thought I had taken it before and it ran next to the other end of my street. I was wrong. Terribly wrong. So, I ask the driver if the bus goes down Broadway or Medford Street and he says he doesn't know. Yeah, he actually said "I don't know." I just stared at him. and then I got on his bus... I am such a fool! Another couple also were wondering if they were going the right way,but after about 2 min they got off at another stop... I, however, had resolve to get myself home on the 90 bus! A woman approached me after I sat down and she asked me where I was trying to go. I wasn't exactly as warm and friendly as I could have been-- partly because I was concentrating on if I recognized any of the street names. She kindly walked back to her seat after I thanked her for her advice... which was that I might be on the wrong bus. :(

 

Flash forward to 15 minutes later. The bus u-turned at this highway I recognized, but then turned RIGHT! At this point I started to really panic. I knew the destination was Wellington (bc that's what the bus is called), but I have no clue how far away that is from my apartment, so I just got off the bus. I was at Pearl Street and Cross Street (I know that means nothing to you) and there was nothing but a Mexican liquor store and a store front that appeared to be selling wigs. No bus stop signs in sight. Meanwhile the icy mix is really coming down and the wind is a blowin'! I called Kristen and confessed that I was completely lost. She was stuck at work, but had internet access and looked up where I was located. I stayed on the phone with her, but everytime I breathed in or out my glasses completely fogged up! It was that cold out! Kristen told me to take a picture of me with my glasses fogged lost on the side of the road... I did not. :)  I have a little dignity-- a little.  I walked about a 1/4 of a mile or so back to Broadway (my main road) and as I walked toward a nearby grocery store on the icy sidewalks with the wind killing my face I saw the 89 bus blow past me. I kid you not. There it was... my bus... leaving me in the ice. I know this bus only runs every 15-20 minutes, so I had a choice: I could wait it out at this bus stop near the store that had a little cover on it or I could truck it the rest of the way home which was not that far, but uphill in the ice and wind. If you know me well you know I waited for that stupid bus to come. Another one came- I got on- it was PACKED, so I stood- then I got off and walked down the street to my house.

 

I am home. I left the South Station at 4pm. It is now 6pm. It took me two hours to get home.

There goes my early day, huh?

 

I have been humbled in the worst kind of way. I will NEVER again assume I know what I am doing with the buses. never.