People like to trash public transportation. I get it. I do, too. But in reality, I love PubTrans. It’s always there. It gets you where you want/need to go relatively fast. Plus, it’s cheap…and if you’re a senior with a fixed income, in a lot of cases it’s free! Good deal, right?

I use public transportation multiple times every day…except during a pandemic. Uh Uh! Nope! Sorry! No way, no how!

Until today!!

I’ve been pandemicing in the burbs. There aren’t as many people and the area is spacious, so I feel safer. Plus, I love being with my pandemic partner, so it’s a win/win all around.

One thing about being in the burbs is you don’t need to ride trains and buses. People get around in these things called cars. No bus drivers needed. You drive yourself. Who knew?! City life….pfffft!

I’ve been in the burbs for almost three months. Since March 14th to be exact. But, today I needed to go to downtown Chicago….and during a pandemic. OY! What’s a guy to do?

Public Transportation!

I’ve heard ridership on public transportation is down. Reports say it’s by as much as eighty-five per cent. That works for me. Let’s start to get back into civilization by riding Metra.

We pull into the Metra-Highland Park station. There are four cars in their parking lot. Apparently people are still pandemicing at home. That’s cool. I feel good, so far. The train itself is close to empty. The conductor never came into my car to collect the fare. FREE RIDE!! Score!!

I arrive at my stop in less than a half hour. So far, so good. Now it’s time for the CTA bus. Let’s see how this goes. I’m more than a little apprehensive. Scared is a better word. Scared shitless is a better phrase.

The number 9 bus is going to take me home. Surprisingly, it’s waiting for me at the bus stop. This is better than in normal times. You enter through the rear door. Again no one takes your money. Another freebie. I’d be a lot more excited about this if I wasn’t already on the free transportation dole.

It’s a two mile ride on this bus. There’s a few more people, but everyone is spread apart. Good social distancing…until the end. I get up to leave and someone pushes past me…and he’s not wearing a mask. DUDE!!! I back away fast. I’m not playing chicken, on a bus, during a pandemic.

Two legs down, two to go to get downtown. Should be a breeze, right? I check my CTA phone app to see when the next bus is coming. It’s the first time I’ve used this in three months. Feels a little strange. Only a six minute wait. The ride down Belmont is uneventful. Phew! Only one more ride to go. The finish line is close.

Hey…look at this! The 146 bus is waiting. This never happens….EVER! There’s plenty of room on this bus. We cruise down Lake Shore Drive and in less than ten minutes we’ve arrived at our destination. I’m actually early for this appointment!

Downtown is a ghost town. Businesses are boarded up. There are few cars on the street and even fewer people walking around. Sadly, plenty of the walkers aren’t wearing masks. What’s the matter with them. Don’t they know there’s a pandemic?

The appointment goes smooth. It’s time to head back home. I’m going to spend a few hours in the city so it’s two more bus rides. We head back up north of LSD. A group of us depart at Belmont. One woman has her mask around her neck. Ummm….I’m pretty sure that’s not proper way to wear a mask?

One more bus ride to go. I check the app and it says the bus will be here in fifteen mnutes. WTF!!! Okay, so everything isn’t perfect. It’s good to know that not everything in city life has changed. Here’s the bus. Oh man, getting on with me is the woman with the improper mask etiquette. SHIT!!!!  The good news is she’s sitting on the other end of the bus. The better news is she gets off before me. PHEW!!

I arrive at my final destination. I get off the bus, walk down the street and enter my apartment. WOW!! What a morning. I’m think it went okay. I keep feeling my head to see if I have a temperature. Seems fine for now. I’m pretty sure that I’m not going to have to go into quarantine for the next two weeks…pretty sure. The only thing for sure is after all this excitement, I need a nap.

I’m headed back to the burbs in a few hours. Two more rides on public transportation. The main one is another Metra train trip. Yeah, that eighty-five per cent fewer riders thing. YEAH!!!! I guess these rides are a small step into getting back towards leading a normal life again…..very, very small steps. What’s next? Riding the Red Line and getting a haircut? WHOA!! I’m sure I’m not bad ass enough to do that yet!

Related Post: Are people nicer to each other during the coronavirus pandemic?

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