The Day From Hell

Beware of the redhead with the gun. No, that's not me in the picture (hahahaha, like I"m anything CLOSE to that hot). But that's the way I feel right now.

Allow me to share with you the events of my day today.

First of all, I have learned two new things about getting around in Massachusetts. One, they have the Kyle Huey syndrome meaning, when they give directions, they tend to gloss over some important parts by saying "...and it's just right there when you get off the bus." Rarely is that the case. Right there usually includes taking several (wrong) turns, asking two or three pissed off looking people, and THEN finding it. Two, everyone is apparently just supposed to KNOW where they're going. So sue me, I just moved!!

Anyway, I live in Revere, MA, which is about 9 miles (at most) north of Boston. Easy trip into Boston...the more we live here, the more I'm glad this is the area we chose. So today I am supposed to venture out to the city of Waltham, MA, in order to go to a staffing agency. I finally bit the bullet and decided to put my name in with a temp agency, especially since there's a firm in Cambridge that is in desparate need of an administrative assistant and I would like to have that job. But having that job meant going through Staffmark Services.

Now. This trip MIGHT have taken 45 minutes each way by car. Maybe...I have no idea. But what I DO know is that it took ME four hours to get there and three hours to get home. I'm not even slightly exaggerating. I called the MBTA (that's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) and talked to a nice lady named Baaahbra (Barbara) who was kind enough to tell me the "easiest" way to get there without the convenience of a car. Here is how it went down, in actuality:

7:35 am: leave apartment for bus stop to catch the 7:48 bus into Haymarket station. This is the route I always take when I want to go into the city. Goal: to make it to Haymarket by 8:10 and go to Fleet Center (just "right there" when you leave the station) and buy a ticket for the 8:50 Commuter Rail to Waltham Station.

8:15 am: Bus finally shows up. Thanks to morning traffic, I get to Haymarket by 8:30, thinking I might still make the commuter rail.

9:05 am: after walking in two circles and asking four people, I finally find Fleet Center amidst all the grumpy people (the "before" ad for Dunkin' Donuts coffee if you know what I mean) and the construction. Have missed the train. Buy my ticket and sit and wonder how the pigeon got inside the train station.

9:45 am: Finally leave Fleet Center for Waltham station. Re-read my directions on the train. Need to take the 70A bus toward University Park, so says Baaaahbra.

10:10am: Run my ass off (in my skirt) to catch the bus that is pulling up as I de-train. A-ha! It is the 70A bus! Get on and think I might actually make it by 10:30.

10:40 am: Get OFF the bus after realizing that there are two 70A buses, one INbound and one OUTbound. I have gotten on the wrong train and gone through Watertown, Belmont and am heading into Cambridge. The total OPPOSITE way I'm supposed to go. Call staffing agency once I get on the right bus ( I hope).

11:30 am: Am told by bus driver that I need to get off because here we are at Trapelo Road, the road where the staffing agency office is.

12:05 PM: After walking TWO MILES (uphill, both ways...no snow...yet), I finally see the damned building. Call staffing agency representative and ask which entrance to use. Response is: "Ummm...well we're in the big silver building at 1601 Trapelo Road." Thanks. Big silver building is the size of a Mall.

12:15 pm: Finally find the freakin' office and sit my sweaty ass down.

12:20 - 2:00 pm: Fill out lots of paperwork and take two profiency tests in Microsoft Office applications. Am told my representative that, should the office in Cambridge needing the Administrative Assistant want to contact me for an actual interview, she'd let me know. Greeeaat. All this and not even a bite on an actual job. Fantastic.

2:05 pm: Start walking, wanting to SOB because I don't want to walk another 2 miles. Find a bus stop for a 70 A and just sit my tired (and by this time, HUNGRY) ass down to wait and PRAY.

2:15 pm: Bus shows up. Before I even get on, I ask, "Will this bus get me to a T station where I can get back into Boston?" Driver grunts, which I have taken to mean "Yes" these days. So I get on. Call commuter rail office, next train doesn't leave for Boston from Waltham until 4pm. Say "Screw it" to myself and decide to ride the bus into Cambridge.

3:30 pm: Bus arrives at Central Square Station (red line connection) in Cambridge. By this time my ass is numb and I have an "I'm hungry and I'm sick of the a/c blowing right on my face" headache.

3:35 pm: Get on Red line to Park Street. Switch to Green line for one stop, as the MBTA decides this train is now an inbound train. Great. De-train and wait for next train.

3:45 pm: FINALLY arrive at Haymarket station. Wait and read the Boston Herald, always looking for the 450 bus to Salem Depot....all the while trying to keep my skirt from flying up around my shoulders.

4:15 pm: Bus shows up. I get on, breathe a sigh of relief knowing I'm almost there. However, with 900 people (one in a wheelchair and guide dog, two with strollers they REFUSE to fold up) on this bus, along with the screaming, shrill cry of the babies, my headache worsens.

4:50 pm: Bus approaches my stop. The damn yellow tape on the sides won't work, so I have to yell, "NEXT STOP, PLEASE" over the babies and the normal sounds of bus driving. Get off bus and start to walk home. Legs chafing...wishing I'd worn pants....

5:00 pm: Arrive at home to husband having made dinner (bless him). I love that man...but I'm also glad he needed to go back into Boston to the public library because, after such a wasted day, it's been nice to shower and drink wine by myself...and BLOG...and let the Red Sox give me a heart attack.

So...7 hours of traveling, less than 2 hours spent doing what I actually set out to do today. And nothing more about a job. That's the real bitch. I started to wish we had a car...but then I thought, "I will probably never go to Waltham again...and DAMN I'm glad I'm not spending $450 a month on cars and their issues."

:)