Great, just great. I thought to myself as I struggled to lug my book bag toward the train station.
It was suppose to snow today. Not just a little snow flurry shower or sprinkle, but a full on blizzard. Did my mom care? Of course not because she decided not to come pick me up from school because of traffic. Here I was with 60 mile per hour winds tearing at my thin coat and boots, while my mom was in her cozy heated car.
I passed a sign that said “Closed, due to weather”. At least they were smart enough to stay out of the snow. I was now slowly advancing toward the Brown Line Train station. The task seemed easy enough except that there was already 3 inches of snow on the ground, I had to carry two book bags, and due to the snow, I could not see my feet in front of me. The street looked like a ghost town. There were only about three or four people on the street. I angrily turned off my phone and threw it in my bag. No I did not want to hear how great people were doing while playing games and watching TV at home through Facebook. Least of all I did not want my mom to call me. Maybe I should have her worrying about me being lost in the storm.
“Great weather we’re having.” The CTA woman said to me with a smile.
I frowned at her. How dare she make light of this situation. I had never taken public transportation after school. It could be because if I did, I would have to walk for an half hour, take a train, take a different train, take a bus, and walk for another fifteen minutes. As I climbed the stairs carrying my book bag like Atlas carried the world, I noticed many more brave souls taking the train. According to the loud couple arguing next to me, the train was now coming after 20 minutes. The train was an auspicious sign. Hopefully luck would go my way.
The cart I boarding was nearly empty. I threw my bags on the seat next to me and faded into an iPod induced coma. I would have fallen asleep, or at least attempted to become comfortable if it wasn’t for the conveniently broken heater. Now I was cold, tired, and angry. The two hours seemed to melt away as I finally reached my stop and my breaking point. I really loved to thank the CTA managers for having me freezing on the train, not to mention the intercom or the speakers were broken and didn’t read the names of the stops.
Could this day get any worst? I shouted to myself as I grabbed my bus card out of my pocket.
Well apparently I could, since I struggled to find what street I was on. Nearby there was a Walgreens when I distinctly remembered there being a Jewel and Starbucks on the street. I kept following the crowd of people like the North Star until I reach my desired destination.
Around me people were running, or attempting to run, to the train station. The wind howled as if it were warning me, but I ignored it and walked. Once I stepped over into the street, no longer being shield from the wind by the tall building, I realized why the people were running. It was like Pandora’s box was open and I was in the epicenter. Even though I carried two heavy book bags harboring giant AP textbooks, remind me to thank my teachers later, I was blown across the street. Downtown is always a crowded area, and the forceful wind sure had a free for all with the people. The light was green and me and some other people were nearly lifted off the ground and tossed on the other side of the street as if we were weightless. I could not believe my eyes as I effortlessly flew across the street and other adults were blown away like tumbleweeds. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a nearby bus stop pole and laughed at the remaining people struggling to avoid the oncoming traffic. If someone would have told me people were picked up by the wind and lifted across the street, I would have assumed they were partying with Charlie Sheen, but since I witnessed this scene with my own eyes, I was shocked.
The remaining people waiting for the bus were crawling on their knees like children, and trying to climb under the umbrella know as the bus stop shelter area. I looked at my clock and it was around six o clock. Sure I was doing good time since I only got out of school three quick hours ago.
Half an hour, three almost frost bitten fingers, and 6 inches of snow later, the bus finally arrived. Even the bus was shaking with the wind. The lights were off on the bus, and the card thing was broken so I didn’t have to pay. At least something was going right today. Now there was more snow pouring down on us as if the gods were making a snow globe.
“I bet you will listen to the weatherman next time.” The bus driver joked as he drove the bus and shouted out the stops since the system was down.
I rode in silence and frustration. According to the woman behind me, the bus roof was leaking on the seat next to me because the window was continuing to be blown open by the wind. This was seriously one of the worst days ever. I rode the bus for 45 minutes while the people complained about the weather and why the were on the bus. It could have been worst, I found out later, considering many people were stranded on Lake Shore Drive for hours.
My stop arrived and I took a giant leap off the bus and into a foot of snow. Faith sure had a sick sense of humor. Two more blocks until my house. The lazy bums of homeowners, or maybe they were just smart to stay out of the storm, had not shoveled the driveways or streets. In that moment I thought that there was a lot of snow but that was nothing compared to how much snow there was at the end of the snow blizzard. I dragged my feet one at a time as if they were cement blocks until I reached my house. The warm heat greeted me and melted away my frost cover body and problems. That was when I received a call from my mom on the house phone.
“Hey where are you? I’m at a friend’s house. The power is out, and my car is snowed in.” She told me.
A smile broaden on my face. Even though this was the worst day of my life I made it how to a place with electricity and heat. That‘s what I call karma.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 08.07.2011

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