Tuesday, June 17, 2008

An "A" Experience

Despite the "S" on this train it is an "A" train. All year travelling to two of my schools I walk down to 44th Street and catch the express "A" train. The short schlep to 44th St is to avoid changing trains- that is go from 50th St on the "C" and then change at 59th to the A or merely chug along all the way on the "C".
If I get the "A" at about 7:40 from 44th St there is usually this wonderful humorous and clear speaking conductor.
He is bright and breezy in the way he announces the stops and invites all passengers to have an "A" experience on the train.
Today his parting greeting to passengers at each stop was to have "an optimistic day". Other times he has said thing like "Have beautiful and unique weekend."
My scrap booking class with Debbie Hodge has a photo a day challenge as part of the scrap your everyday life and so armed with the thought that this was part of my everyday I prepared myself for the stop at 168th St and had my camera out of the bag and in hand. This was a complex maneuver a I had my work bag , handbag and camera to manage as well as avoiding getting crushed and thrown about by the throng of commuters exiting.
Safely on the platform I moved out of the surging throng and strolled to the conductor 's "window" . Having taken his photo I thanked him for the great start to the day- he grinned and nodded and set shut the train doors so that the "A" experience train could continue to the Bronx.

1 comment:

Jess P. said...

Omigod! I'm so glad you got a photo of him - he told me once his name was Fantom...anyway I have a video with his voice here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicroix/2663334491/

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