Day Five

My morning commute by bus went very smoothly and I got to work in about an hour and ten. I even jumped off the bus before I planned to because I saw that I could get off earlier and walk about 1/4 mile to get to my building. I even discovered a Firehook Bakery & Coffeehouse! It's in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers building, but they weren't yet open at 7:30 a.m. Oh, and my fare for the whole trip was $1.50. Nice.

My afternoon commute was a comical disaster. I left my office at 5 p.m. and headed for the same bus stop where I jumped off this morning. I stood on the opposite side of the road. But this did not put me on the right bus. The bus route map for 23C literally goes in circles around Tysons Corners and that is exactly what I did. Twice. On two different buses. When I complained to the first bus driver, he actually helped me out and as the 23C Eastbound passed us while we were driving through Tysons Galleria he told me to jump out and I switched buses. It was almost 6 and I was going in circles, stuck and traffic, and I felt like an idiot.

I eventually made it to McLean, but not before sitting in Chain Bridge Road traffic like everyone else. I was trying desperately to get to my son's first official football game, even if it was for 20 minutes. I thought if I could get there by 6 I could stay until 6:30 and still make it to my class in Arlington.

At 6:07 the bus was passing McLean High School and so I jumped off because there was a sign that read "McLean HS, Entrance Ahead". I started walking. After 3 blocks I stopped an Iranian lady out for a walk to ask her how much further to the school. "It's down the rod," she said "are you late?" I replied while walking away, "Yes! and then I have to be somewhere else!"  "I'm sorry," she said, "valk faster."  I did, but after two more blocks I looked down the road and I couldn't see anything. Maybe my sis could come and get me? Too much of a hassle. I turned back around and by 6:22 p.m. I was on a another bus.

I think it was 15L. All I wanted was a bus that would take me to a metro and this one said Rosslyn. I decided to try to chill and started reading a bit. The next time I looked up we were at some strange bus depot. What is this? Is this the Westpark Transit Station? Too small. Why is it so green around here? A group of people got on including two heavily perfumed women who sat right across from me, as well as an unusual number of white youngish folks who looked very studious. I was surprised because they didn't fit the usual bus demographic I had seen all day. As we pulled away I saw all the security personnel and signs--we were at Langley.

The next time I looked up we were on GW Parkway! What the heck! I thought that maybe my carpool buddy from last year is probably sitting in traffic next to us.

Arrived at Rosslyn and sat at a bench to eat my salad. A homeless woman immediately started talking to me. She told me she had had some delicious chocolate mousse cake and that maybe there was some left if I wanted around the corner. There is a culinary school above or near the Rosslyn metro and apparently they give out food sometimes.

Got into the metro, went downstairs for the Vienna train. I got onto the first train that pulled in to the station without checking what train it was. I sat down and hear "next station--Arlington Cemetery." F***, I got on the wrong train . . .

I rolled into class late and have to remember to email my prof to remind him to mark me present.

I had to take two buses to get home tonight. When it gets to be past 11 p.m. I start to worry about my safety, but I made it home just fine.

Both times, during the morning, afternoon and evening bus rides, I had the thought "I would have been at work/home by now."

Car trip saved:
work and back, class in North Arlington, ride for my son (he got a ride) = about 30 miles.