Late Morning Scramble

*written Thursday morning, 9/16

I've barely been awake for two hours today and already it's starting to get on my nerves.

I have been making a half-assed effort to see Cake at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park tonight for the last three weeks or so. I only just bought my bus ticket last night, and made arrangement for a couch on which to crash even later last night. I packed my clothes and even a towel as the last time I was there I was forced to use a pullover to dry off after a shower. I had designs on waking up early today and purchasing a blanket in case I'd need one, and some toiletries for my overnight stay.

Instead, I decided to stay up late last night hanging out with friends as I'm wont to do when I have no (important) responsibilities the following day. This resulted in me forgetting to set an alarm and subsequently waking up at 11:10 AM with a bus leaving Metro Center at 12:30 PM. I woke up to my ride slapping my shoulder asking me why I didn't wake him up this morning. He informed me that he had class and could not take me. Luckily another trusty friend was there and was able to give me the lift to the metro I required.

Now, if a train left as soon as I hit the platform I would have had plenty of time to get to the train, however the train would not leave for another 7 minutes which made my arrival at Metro Center in time for the bus a little dicey. The train stopping between Dunn-Loring and West Falls increased the unlikelihood of my timely departure. I sat nervously bouncing my knee (as I am also wont to do), obsessively watching the minutes slip past from stop to stop. Four stops from Metro Center it was 12:24. Even with a generous 2 minutes between each stop, I would not make it in time for the bus so I resigned myself to a fate of waiting for the 1:30 PM bus hoping to get on standby status and put my phone into my pocket.

I emerged at F and 12th even though the signs I followed said G and 11th; but whatever, it's not like I was anywhere near the departure time. I walked briskly to the giant parking lot where the buses are only to find a some kind of low-rent carnival there. Where will the buses be? I thought, Will i possibly miss the next bus, simply because I don't know where the alternate stop is? As I walked through this carnival of garbage (although decent smelling street food), I noticed that the buses were still on the ohter side. Much less, a Bolt bus that looked as if it were still loading luggage. I ran over to the young lady checking tickets and noticed another Bolt Bus leaving the parking lot. Those that know me, know that I hate to interrupt two people in conversation but my desperation got the better of me, "Is that the 12:30 bus to New York?"

"Yessir."
"DAH!", I made to run for the bus.
"Sir, do NOT run after that bus. It was late, and unfortunately you were even later, and you running out there will only make it later. Now you're, just gonna have to wait here with me until 1:00".
"Fair enough."

She let me know that I would get on the bus, no problem assured me that I'd probably even have room for a seat by myself, if not all the other passengers. And surely, she was correct. For here I am now, dear readers, plugged in and typing out this harrowing (for me at least) narrative, my hoodie on the seat next to me; me sprawled out like some kind of typing bus chair afghan (well as much as one can sprawl in these miniscule seats).

The disappointment did not end there, however, True Believers. As turned on my laptop to start typing the promised yet heavily delayed Black Keys review, I tried to find the WiFi for the bus. I couldn't find one named Bolt Bus or whatever it's called. I found hpsetup, which almost never is what you need, but hey try it anyway, right? Wrong. Wireless fail. Shortly, the bus driver informed us that the WiFi is not functioning, so I am typing this out on Word Pad and will copy and paste it as soon as I get to a place where I can connect. Let us hope (or at least I hope), that this is the worst thing that happens to me this weekend. *knocks on wood and all that*

NOTE: Since I wrote this: It rained during the concert, slept through ticket sales of D-Plan reunion tour (sold out now), lost my wallet. Maybe NYC hates me, or wants me to hate it more than I already do.