The extended Hiawatha line opens on December 4th, just in time for our tradition of holiday gluttony at the MOA. The timing could not have been better: 21 shopping days before Christmas. The line is sure to be packed with people entertaining their children (look, honey, a real old-fashioned train like grandma used to ride!), and others wanting to show off their shopping bags and not spend precious time looping around the mall finding parking.
For some of us, we ride the line sometimes to see other people riding the line. There's nothing more fascinating than glimpsing humanity in all of its public glory from an inconspicuous spot on the train. For $1.75 during rush hour (or essentially free if you've already bought your Metro Pass, as I have) anyone can have hours of entertainment unmatched by the latest movie hit or the most irritating "reality" shows.
We can do this on the bus too, but it is simply not as glamorous. The bus is jerky & inconsistent, and it's more difficult to read the newspaper or a magazine when the characters on the bus are too mundane to watch (you know, those corporate types with no imagination faithfully doning their gray-suit uniforms).
Thankfully, the #74 bus line in my neighborhood connects to the light rail when it crosses over the Great River. Yes, for less than $2, you too can hop on the bus, tranfer to the light rail and watch as people brag about how much they spent this year on holiday gifts (silly people, those VISA bills will still arrive in January), and how they wish they did not have to endure another year of uncle Harry's lewd jokes.
I am a student planning to forego holiday gifts this year, and I have the unfortunate culturally-American desire to drive my sporty little car everywhere. However, when my imagination gets stuck in the mire of long papers to write this season, I may just hop the train to free up the dead spots in my brain and prove those naysaying legislators wrong.
Cheers, Cristy
Highland Park starving student & Long time bus rider
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