Some Mondays, Make Food
What a day! Once again I am car-less after seven glorious and miraculous months of having cars to borrow from friends and relatives. Thankfully, Mondays I start work at my latest hour: 11am.
With a car, on Mondays I can go to the gym in the morning, sleep in, make a hearty breakfast, make lunch or go food shopping, and leave for work around 10:35 to be there on time.
Without a car, in a different story. I woke up at 8am (still a nice leisurely time for a Monday, I admit), got ready, ate a bowl of cereal, made a speedy lunch, packed my bag for the gym later, and left the house. Normally it only takes me 45 minutes to do all that without a morning shower, but I wasn't feeling well this morning so I was slower and so left the house at 9:30.
It was raining.
Without a car and depending on the bus schedule, I can either walk 22 minutes to the train station or catch the 59 Dogtown bus which stops near my house to get to the station. I couldn't remember when the bus came, though, so I decided to walk.
Remember I was not feeling well? Walking was not the best choice.
Halfway there, I was feeling ill and my gym bag was weighing on me. I decided to risk heading towards a nearby 59 Dogtown bus stop, thinking one might be arriving soon if my memory served me well.
When I was hirty feet from the stop, the bus turned the corner! I ran, bag flopping, face cringing from worry that the bus wouldn't stop for me and from my already-borthering-me cramps.
The bus stopped and thankfully waited for me. (The Metro St. Louis public transportation may be long and arduous, but employees are nice!)
Taking the bus to the station proved to be a warmer and more restful endeavor than walking in the cold rain and I arrived at the metrolink station in time to catch the 10:06 Eastbound Blue line.
I love the train. The buses are more aggravating for me to maneuver, but the train is luxurious in comparison. The Blue line arrived at the Civic station in downtown St. Louis at 10:30am.
I walked to the area where the buses idle. The Civic center bus depot is extremely windy and cold in the winter because it is situated in a spot that acts as a wind tunnel. It is a convenient depot though, with a myriad of bus lines meeting there, all of the waiting areas clearly labeled and the times posted.
The 74 bus brings me right to 14th and Cass, not far from my work and it was listed as leaving around 10:45. I waited 13 minutes shivering with the other passengers. There was one man talking loudly to no one in particular who started singing. Everyone was ignoring him, but at one point I glanced over and he grinned goofily and waggled his tongue. He danced around the waiting areas singing. When the #32 bus pulled up, I hurried over to that one instead. I couldn't stand the man's antics any longer. I wasn't in the mood.
The #32 brought me to a similar spot as the #74 route, but I had to walk a bit further. I arrived at my work building at 10:55. Just in time, but after travelling for an hour and a half, my well-rested feeling from earlier was gone. For once I was thankful to sit at my desk all day doing nothing.
5:00pm Reverse.
This time, I caught the #30 at 5:08pm which stops right in front of my building. Arrived at the Civic station at 5:24. Blue line arrived at 5:30. Travelled back to Brentwood by 5:45. Walked to my gym which is next to the station. After changing, exercised quickly from 6:00-6:40. Walked back to the station. Caught the #59 Dogtown at 6:58pm which dropped me off on a corner near my house at 7:10.
Home at last.
After taking a shower, the only thing I could think of doing after a long, arduous day was to make my favorite food.
Sweet Potatoes.
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