TTC ride – August 29

Today’s Journey – C+

OUTBOUND

The subway is in the station at Dundas West! I stand in the door reading someone else’s newspaper headlines, trying to figure out what the stories are about. A man folds up his Metro and hesitates whether to take or leave it. He tucks it under his seat. I experiment with walking up the escalators again, and get stuck behind a bunch of standers. One of my more uninteresting rides. Total journey time – 28 minutes.

INBOUND

The platform at College station is crowded as usual but oddly quiet for this amount of people. I shimmy on. A man runs up to the door but abandons his entry quest. On the eastbound train, a boy squishes his little brother’s nose into a triangle. A man near me has a faded dog tattoo on his arm. Or is it a cow? Perhaps a fluffy cloud? Lady Gaga gets off at Coxwell.

After volleyball, the subway is almost empty. Two guys embrace a friend they find en route. At Chester our train goes out of service. A woman goes back to urge off a man who is daydreaming. As the train pulls out I see another passenger still on board. Oops. On the next train, near me a pair of see-through black Lululemon yoga pants flexes. At Yonge station we pick up a huge mass of people. They smell of lotion, sweat and flowery perfume.

TTC ride – August 28

Today’s Journey – D+

OUTBOUND

The streetcar driver says good morning to me. The making of a good day. A man beams at me in the station. A new dad? A promotion? Good cup of coffee? I’m 30 minutes earlier than usual today. As I enter the Bloor subway no one moves to make space. One man shrugs at me. Sure, I get it – you’ve been on this car since Kipling so for about 20 minutes, ie longer than most relationships. There’s probably a great view for the 60 seconds we spend at each station. Plus you’ve gotten to know your neighbours. That spot you’re standing on is prime real estate. At this point you could probably sell it for a profit.

At Dufferin we wait for 3 minutes for an announced delay at Ossington. Using the Queen’s Park station escalator at Queen’s Park, people are standing on the right AND the left. What happened to the Switzerland I know and love? Total journey time – 29 minutes.

INBOUND

I wait for a streetcar on College Street for about 20 minutes and give up for the subway. TTC fail! The subway is in the station but this does not make up for the 20 minutes I just lost. Changing for the Bloor line, I actually have to put my arm out to stop a man from getting on the car while people were still exiting. He doesn’t get it 😦 I sit on a backwards facing seat, my least favourite direction. A kid’s butterfly painted face livens up the ride…a bit.

TTC ride – August 27

Today’s Journey – B+

OUTBOUND

I run to catch the streetcar. In Dundas West station, I pass a tiny John Lennon in round, pink-hued sunglasses. The subway is coming in N/A but arrives after a minute. I get my favourite door leaning spot. My neighbour moves to get off but instead re-locates to the door across. Was it me? I stealthily survey the coffee situation. One Tim Horton’s, one Second Cup. Draw your own conclusions here.

The St. George subway is in the station! I watch a woman vigorously apply mascara for two stops. This is serious business. Total journey time – no idea as I absentmindedly did not write down my arrival time.

INBOUND

Either the automated announcement system has broken down or this conductor is bored and wants to announce the stops himself. The Bloor subway is in the station! A young bearded man wears his polka dot bowtie with pride. As people get off, I watch the “seat movers” – those people who relocate to get more space. If I’m standing I sometimes go and sit beside a seat mover that has just moved. Devious. A woman frowns at a receipt she’s just pulled from her purse. I would have left it inside. At Dundas West station a man on the escalator has his shorts around his knees. This is the lowest low-rider look I’ve ever seen. Not pretty.

TTC ride – August 26

Today’s Journey – C+

OUTBOUND

I hear the subway but no one else hurries, my cue for “the wrong subway is here.” The car is more crowded than it should be at this time. I squish into a middle seat. The man on my right has really large arms but gets off at Bathurst. A bit of space. A woman is reading Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. What a throwback! The atmosphere is Monday blues. Two people across the aisle compete to finish reading the Metro. Pages turn…and she wins. I watch a pair of silver Dorothy from Oz shoes walk off.

St. George station is sweltering. Someone needs to tell Andy Byford to turn off the heat. On the subway a river of coffee runs in front of the door. Total journey time – 22 minutes.

INBOUND

A woman carrying a goodlife bag tucks a pillow under her arm. Sleeping at the gym? An unhelpful announcement, “You will experience longer than usual delays between [garbled] station and [garbled] station.” We start to crawl then jerk westward. A woman with a purple flower wreath is out of place. Two strangers get on and stand in the door. One chats randomly with the other about how excited she was to be sweaty on the TTC after she first moved to Toronto. They compare public transport in big cities in Canada and then talk about traveling in Africa. One gets off at Lansdowne and says, see you tomorrow.

 

TTC ride – August 23

Today’s Journey – B-

OUTBOUND

It’s after nine, so I have my choice of seats. An announcement states a previous delay has been cleared. A man with a beard but no mustache makes me think of leprechauns. We hang out at Ossington. A older passenger’s t-shirt says Edgefest but his look says retirement home. At St. George station the doors close and I watch a woman walk by with a knitted bear on her head and long floppy ears. The new subway slithers southbound. Total journey time – 29 minutes.

INBOUND

Buskerfest has closed down Yonge street.  I’m on Dundas trying to figure out where the streetcars are. In the distance I spot one. No idea where it’s come from. The car is abuzz with nightlife. I head to the back. A family of four across from me takes up three seats, squished in the corner. They all look the same.

TTC ride – August 22

Today’s Journey – B+

OUTBOUND

I just miss the streetcar. It looks like a summer crowd on the Bloor subway but the atmosphere is subdued like worker bees. Our car is swarmed at Lansdowne. I spot a man wearing a purple Don-esque shirt. At Dufferin I secure a door leaning spot. Jaws is trying to escape from a woman’s iPhone case. The St. George subway is in the station! A man wears a t-shirt proclaiming, “There’s no party like a political party.” Lincoln is there with a blindfold on. I can’t see who else is at the party. Total journey time – 30 minutes.

INBOUND

I walk to the end of the College platform and still barely fit in the over-the-top full car. A guy is sketching fellow passengers. There’s an announcement about a previous delay. When I don’t hold on, I’m surfing. A man points out my backpack is open, closes the main zip and then closes every other zip that is slightly open. He’s got my back! Another announcement that we’re going to stand at Sherbourne (I’m going east to play volleyball) due to a power outage at Warden which then becomes a fire investigation. Two strangers discuss how best to lose weight.

After volleyball, I’m on the subway heading west. Two twentysomethings do chin-ups in the middle of the car. They are wearing grey and burgundy underwear, respectively. One nonchalantly shows the other photos of a grow op he discovered in his neighbourhood. A man with an 80s headband and long hair listens in.

TTC ride – August 16

Today’s Journey – B

OUTBOUND

I am graced by the presence of a streetcar this morning. On the Bloor subway a woman wears a large backpack with water wings attached. They are too small for her. A man gets on, smiles at me and then tries to take over the space I am standing in. Subterfuge! I stand my ground. A woman is playing bingo very intently. I hope she wins something. An announcement of a delay at Victoria Park station begins with “Good morning, passengers.” I think this might be the extent of the TTC customer compact. Total journey time – 30 minutes.

INBOUND

The subway is in the station at Queen’s Park. It’s cool and crisp inside the car. Not very busy for a Friday afternoon where everyone is skedaddling home from work. I just miss a Bloor train. The next one comes in 4 minutes. Is that a wolf or sheep mask in the man’s hand? It makes a big difference to how he approaches life. Down the car, a pair of sunglasses take up their own seat. Someone has left them behind. The next time I look, they are gone.

 

TTC ride – August 15

Today’s Journey – A-

OUTBOUND

At Dundas West I duck behind a man taking a photograph of the station to get on the train. 10 years ago in Uzbekistan, taking a similar photo brought on a testy interaction with police. I sit facing forwards. A newspaper is on the floor spread out like a rug. I can almost read it from where I am. There’s a delay announcement but I can’t understand where. So I get off at St. George. On the southbound car there is one person in each bank of seats as far as I can see up and down the new car. As if deliberately placed. Total journey time – 23 minutes.

INBOUND

The St. George subway is in the station! A man with a bowtie and handlebar moustache is reading…perhaps Einstein’s theory of relativity. Paris Hilton is beside him, obviously heading out for a date. On the east/west platform there’s a Blue Jays convention as a couple wears matching t-shirts for their team. The Bloor train is super busy and no one appears to be getting off. At Dufferin three people rush the doors. Too focused to realize it’s their stop until the last minute. Then it’s a full-on race with all legs and elbows.

TTC ride – August 14

Today’s Journey – B

OUTBOUND

I just miss the streetcar. On the Bloor subway I stand in the door, wondering if I would have gotten a seat on an earlier subway if I would have run for the streetcar. As I’m contemplating this set of events that never happened, I see a man pressed up against the door as if he’s doing push-ups. A seat clears out and a woman makes a rush for it. A bag of sunflowers attracts my attention. There are so many, what’s their destination?

The St. George subway is in the station! I have my first uncomfortable encounter. A woman beside me says “Excuse me.” I move to let her off but she stays put. “Sorry?” I say. “Your purse hit my stomach,” she exclaims. I feel like responding – “Are you sure your stomach didn’t hit my purse?” but instead just say “Wow,” and turn away. TTC isn’t about your stomach having its own personal space. Total journey time – 25 minutes

INBOUND

The St. George subway is in the station! Two seated women are part of the white hair brigade.  We hang out between Museum and Bloor. A massive canvass photo takes up two seats on the crowded car. Fail on the “your bag stole my seat” front. Two men converse about basketball over top a third man that stands between them with headphones on. He’s not with them.

TTC ride – August 13

Today’s Journey – A

OUTBOUND

I jump on the streetcar to Dundas West. There’s even a seat for me. I listen to the woman in front of me planning a trip to the nearest Henry’s. Don’s partner in photography crime. At the station, I’ve just missed a subway but the next one comes in one minute. The Scream tattoo is here again. I spy a woman posing as The Thinker. She is fully engaged in this endeavour until getting off. At Dufferin a TTC worker walks right by the doors with a ladder. I expect to see the circus next. A man is teaching his son the subway names. Well only Spa-din-a, where they get off.

At St. George the subway is in the station! But suspiciously empty…I expect it’s going to be out of service. But happily it’s not. Total journey time – 23 minutes.

INBOUND

The College subway is in the station! And not too crowded. No shimmying for me this evening. We hang out between Wellesley and Bloor. Passengers are wearing winter jackets. This summer sucks! At Bloor station a man with a bow tie waits to get on. His European look is out of place here but my mom would love him. I look down at a woman wearing leather strappy sandals. Her feet look like they’re in  jail. Another woman alternatively scowls and grimaces at her phone. I wonder if she realizes there is no cell service?