Stranded in San Francisco

All week long, all I've been able to think about is how excited I am to come home on Friday night, put on my PJs, and stay in all glorious weekend.  I was looking forward to a 3-day weekend of lounging around, cleaning up the apartment, and generally just catching up on being a homebody.   The rainstorm only heightened my excitement about going home and cozying up.  And then...service delays on BART.

Will sent me a text from BART in Berkeley, telling me that there was some sort of delay at West Oakland (a major hub of BART through which most trains must pass - including mine).  Delays happen every so often, so I wasn't too worried.  And then I saw the warning, that there was a major delay at the stations, and no trains were going in or out.

I figured it wouldn't last long though, so off I went to the station near my office.  And there I saw this:

the crowd of people I pushed through to get on
the train waiting at the station

And then, once I had squished onto a train, I asked the tired-looking people around me how long this particular train had been sitting there.  "Oh, 5, 10 minutes or so" - not too bad.  And then, the announcement.  "ATTENTION PASSENGERS! This train will be turning around and heading to Millbrae, and will NOT be continuing on to the East Bay."  Uhhh no thank you.  That is the opposite of where I need to go.

So I got off.  The station announcer said that service to the East Bay was stopped, and they didn't know when it would be starting.  "Well, screw this," I thought, and started to make my way back up to street level, where at least I'd have cell reception.  Out of frustration, I exclaimed, "Anyone want to share a cab to Oakland?!" - someone did.  She and I scurried up to the street and to an ATM, and then hunted down a cab.  When we finally did (in the pouring rain, remember?), the cabbie apologized and said he wouldn't cross the bridge.  Because of traffic.  Even when we offered to pay double.

Frustrated, soaking wet, and out of options, I turned around and went back to the office.  Where I now sit, with a beer and free cable and my laptop.  Of course, as soon as I walked in the door, I got a text from a coworker saying he had gotten on a train and was in the East Bay, that service had been restored to the BART line.  Damnit.  

I'm going to sit here with my beer for another half hour or so until things calm down, because I do not wish to get stuck in that mess underground again.   When I get on that train, I want the station to be calm and empty (because I'll have to deal with the station agent dealing with my fare that's already been swiped one way on my transit pass), and I want a nice comfy (ish) seat on that train.

I just want to go home, but at least I'm in a warm office with TV and a beer.  Silver lining.