The Cost

SEPTA's on strike. That's the public transit system 'round these parts, for those of you who are wondering. I've been getting by alright so far, but then on Friday, my car broke down. So I suppose I'm lucky I can walk. And walk, I will. I don't know what the strike is about nor does anyone know how long it will last, but the most recent talk left the problem unresolved, and our governor has decided he'll no longer be the mediator. I've been dreaming about walking down dark alleys in the early morning hours, waiting in creepy train depots, (our one option left is a train), and nearly getting mauled by guard dogs. (There are no dogs on the way there. Also I'm not afraid of dogs.) But anyway. The whole thing has taken its toll on me. I'm not wild about crowds, heat, or stress, but I've had an ample dose of all of the above since the strike started. The trains are crowded and hot--I can get panicky...and then the recovery time seems to take three times as long as the incident. I sleep as much as possible, and try to take my time, get fresh air, and hopefully sometime this week, I'll get my car back...but all this seems kind of irrelevant.
I will survive. It's the rest of the city that SEPTA's really screwing with. There are a huge amount of people who need the buses and the subway system everyday because there is no other way for them to get around--get to work, get to school, get to dialysis treatments or whatever. I just think public transportation should be a guaranty. Like the postal service. Delivering people. Someone needs to fix this--and fast.