why can't I get home?

I set out on my adventure. First to talk to the tattoo chick, and even though I had an appointment, she wasn't there. So I went to the park and read and ate my apple and went back in a little while. She still wasn't there. I was like "ok, I'll go buy some shoes*, and come back and if she still isn't here, then I guess I'll just have to reschedule." which isn't a very good threat. Unlike the cable company, I do have plenty of options for my tattoo artist. However, this one is very good and I want her.

So I bought my shoes and came back and this time she was there. I showed her my pictures and explained my idea and she seemed to get it. I left my deposit and made an appointment for the 24th, providing I don't have to work. (I would like to know my work sched more than a week in advance, thanks.) Off to home.

Now comes the tricky part. Normally I would walk back down a few blocks, get on the F train, and go home sweet home to Brooklyn. This is what I tried to do. I went down to the platform and waited in the hot humid station until finally a train came. I clambered on and continued reading. Because I was reading, I did not notice that the train was not in fact going to Brooklyn as I wanted, but was heading uptown. At 23rd st I realized this and got off. I was trying to figure out how I could have been stupid enough to get on the train going the wrong way. I've never been that stupid before, especially not at a station I'm familiar with. But whatever, it's hot, I'm hungry, and heavily involved in the exploits on Animal Farm.

The 23rd st station is one of the annoying ones with separate entrances for north & south bound. So I headed to the other entrance, went downstairs, and noticed that all the gates were taped off. Um, weird. Back upstairs, cross the street, try another entrance. Someone stopped me as they were coming up and said no F trains were running. A ha! So I wasn't the stupid one, it's the MTA! Not only were no downtown trains running, but they put uptown trains on the downtown tracks. Why? Because nobody should ever be able to get where they are going using public transport.

Luckily, the New Apartment has multiple train options. But this also means that I had to walk for a few blocks until I could get to one of those other trains. I bought a bottle of water, chugged it, and got on the Q at Union Square (which cost another $2, thankyouverymuch). Throw in a transfer to the R and the fact that it's Saturday, and it took me like 2 hours to get home.

Damn that sucked.



* Since I have recently rejoined the faction of the workforce that is on its feet all day, I needed new comfy shoes because my old ones were all worn out. I went to Mooshoes, but their website doesn't list my shoes for some reason .