Trauma on the Transit: Part 1

The title of this post may very well cause the natural assumption that this post will contain some astonishing account of a horrific or terrible tragedy which took place on a train or train-tracks. Let me set your mind at ease…it is not. Furthermore, I do not wish to insinuate that, due to some mechanical or human error, I suffered any sort of permanent physiological damage…I have not. The following posts contain stories, of a rather comical nature, that took place on the metro transit which caused me significant momentary disturbance. After enough of these disturbances, I soon discovered that they began to have a permanent effect on my life. After an incredibly insightful self diagnosis, I am now able to accept the fact that I have TT, otherwise known as Transit Trauma. The following reflections explain how I developed it. Without further ado, I give you Trauma on the Transit.

Part 1: Without Wheels

I am from the Midwestern area of America: the good old Ford truck drivin’, beef lovin’, Bible belt, urban sprawled-out part of our beloved country. In my part of the country, public transportation is not commonly used. It is believed to be used by the lower class, just because when you are 16 the “normal” thing is to get a car. I have never been normal. At best, normal is an ambiguous term; one I find to be highly overrated. Even though I am a middle class American girl, I received no car on my sweet sixteenth birthday. In high school, my parents were gracious enough to allow use of their car whenever I needed it. My parents wanted me to focus on education, so didn’t get a job. Free to focus on friends and school, my life was unburdened with all the expenses of a car, so I didn’t really miss possessing one. It was not until when I went to college that I began to strongly desire one. Originally, my plan was to move to Chicago where a car is simply unnecessary. After the normal “life doesn’t turn out the way we expect” routine, I chose to attend a university about 40 minutes away from my home. Even though it was in another city it was still very close. Being thrifty, I wanted to stay away from the incredible expense of living on campus. This was all well and good, but I somehow had to GET to campus. This is how I was introduced to the metro transit.

…to be continued