Public transportation is hazardous to my health - Part One

public transportation is harmful to my health. Part one

Mentioned in a previous post that I like to walk 15 minutes out my way when it's nice out, and utilise an El train stop much further way from my train station than others.

Last week, I did just this. Waited for my brother in law to arrive at the train station (cathes the train after mine) and then we walk the 10-15 minutes to his office, which is across the street from an el train stop.

Got on the el train, sat down, and immediately realized that there was a lot of stank in the car. Looked around, saw too v. possible sources for the stank, and got back up and walked back to the train door.
The plan was to get off at the next stop, walk 20 steps to the next closest car, and get back on.

A good plan, one I've utilised on countless occasions.
Except this time, I was the only one getting off the train, and noone was on the platform to get on.
So the doors started shutting far quicker than normal.
So that I had to break into a run to make the next train car door.
And it shut as I got to it. So, like you do with an elevator, I stuck my hand in to stop the doors from sliding shut, so I could get on.
Except they didn't stop.
They shut on my arm.
I holler loudly, trying to get the driver's attention, or at least someone on the car. They looked up at me, did nothing to help, and looked back down.
As I was trying to pull my arm out of the train door before the train took off.

I managed to do this just as the train started moving. However, the strap from my laptop bag was still stuck in the door. Which means my work laptop was still stuck in the door.
Unacceptable.
I could care less about the laptop, but knew that my "sorry, the el train ate my laptop" story would not go well for me at work.
So I started tugging on the strap, as I walked along the slowly moving train.
And continued to pull on it, as I began trotting alongside the train as it gained speed.
And finally got it out, as I was running along side the now fast moving train.
"mother f*ck!!!" echoed the length of the empty el train platform.
I walked over to a bench, and sat down, working on bringing my heart rate and breathing back under control.

Turns out I had plenty of time to work on this, as the next train was very late.
Of course.
So, to recap - almost died trying to escape El train stank, then almost lost my work laptop, and ended up late for work.

Whoo hoo!!!!!!