Woman Down on the E

Yesterday was quite the city hopping day. My plan was to be at the Indiana bar by 12 for the IU/OSU game, Times Square by 3 to meet my grandparents and a sports bar around 5 to watch the rest of the Alabama game. Then after all the football and meeting people, I was going to a new friends place by NYU for a pregame. That is what was suppose to happen. A busy day planned for the bag lady in Manhattan. Thank goodness I payed the 89 dollars for my unlimited card- because a day that I had planned took me everywhere.

This is what actually happened...

Since I went to a concert Friday night at Madison Square Garden and did not get back to Queens until 12:30-1 (and had a few drinks at happy hour complete with a large beer at the concert), my wake up call at 9am Saturday morning did not even phase me. Finally, I rolled out of bed around 10:30, giving me just enough time to shower, eat breakfast, drink coffee and leave my aunts house by 11:15.

My power walk to the subway was not as fast as it is during my morning commute, but as long as I made it there before 11:40, I would at least make it to the bar before the 2nd quarter. For some reason, the stars aligned and right as I walked down to the platform, an E train was waiting for me. There was a typical change in the trip due to weekend construction- but other than that, there was no issue to get me into Manhattan. The doors closed and the train was off.

Halfway between Roosevelt Avenue and Queens bridge, I felt an unusual thud on the ground. Directly after, people started staring towards my left. Since my headphones were blaring, I could not hear what people were saying, but I picked up on the social que that something just wasn't right. I looked to my left and saw a pair of legs sticking out into the aisle on the floor. At first, nothing alarmed me, just because its the subway, I have seen people sleeping, juggling, making out and everything else- but then after someone ran over to the pair of legs, I knew something was wrong. Slowly, people started to look panicked and actually take concern to this unidentified pair of legs on the ground. We figured out that the legs belonged to a women, and she was awake again, but not moving. Her eyes were open- looking around, and she finally spoke, 'what happened.' A very kind man (native New Yorker, could tell by his voice) keeled down with her and instructed her not to move, just in case there was damage. Once the train arrived at Queens bridge, the New Yorker told his wife to stay with the woman and he ran down the platform screaming, "WOMAN DOWN, WE GOT A WOMAN DOWN OVA' HERE!" (I say OVA, because his accent was so thick, the word over was missing its 'r'). The train was delayed about 10 minutes until they could get the woman onto the platform. Once the doors closed again and we were back on route, our train car gave the man an ovation for his good deeds, which he fully deserved. Just one more story for my interesting rides on the E train.

Lets just say that for the Indiana game, I did not miss much. The passed out women on the train did not help the fate of my beloved Hoosiers, OSU scored within the first 5 minutes. Finally, I arrived at the bar on 52nd and 2nd- met my friends and drank a beer. After a few minutes, I received a text from a friend from home, telling me to come to the UGA bar on 11th and 4th to watch the UGA/Tennessee game. Since the IU game was depressing, I figured why not. It was only 1 and I did not have to meet my grandparents until 3. Found the 6 train and was on my way.

Little did I know that 11th and 4th is a little farther downtown than I have ever been before. A commute that should have taken me 10 minutes from bar to bar, took me over 45- I got lost. The streets down there are intermixed, the grid is not as straight forward. But after awhile, and a few turnarounds, I made it to the UGA bar.

I will say that the difference in atmosphere of location from the IU bar to the UGA bar is as different as the South and the East Coast. I felt like I was back at home watching the game. Boys were in backwards, torn up hats and polos with khakis. Girls were in t-shirts and jeans, nothing too fancy. Automatically, I felt at east. Since time was already slipping away and I wanted to enjoy myself, I texted my grandma (yes, she texts) and moved our meeting time to 4.

Lets just say, once I was done with dinner with my grandparents around 8, I was in no shape to go out. The only out I wanted was to my bed. And that is what I did. I am not ashamed to say that the day wore me out. I was in bed, asleep on a Saturday night by 11. And you know what? I do not even care.

Lesson Learned:

Turn my headphones down and carry a map. Both things will always be necessary.

Peace, Love and putting my unlimited card to use,

B