By Frances Bryce, September 12, 2019 — One day a friend came into the center upset because her transportation had left her stranded and was not going to return to take her to the senior center that she was to be taken. First, I sympathized with her and then reminded her that now she has a story to tell; if the trip had been a routine pick up and deposited her at the center, she would not have a story to tell.
Saturday, I was dropped at a Chestnut Hill train station at approximately 5 pm for a train that was to be arriving at 5:30 pm with a book to read. I sat and started reading for what I thought would be a short wait. I soon looked up at the sign, that posted the time as 7:45 pm. What am I to do? A 30-minute wait is no problem but a 2-hour wait was another manner.
I called a number posted to call to learn that all services would be discontinued for daytime service because work on the railroad Saturday and Sunday also the next weekend. I decided that Chestnut East train would be an alternate, but to my chagrin, [I’d have to wait for] that train [until] 7:30 pm. Ok, I’ll just sit this one out until the 7 pm train to Center City, [which was my] next move after considering that this was more than I wanted to wait. I called Uber, [to get me to a] bus to the City. Uber canceled my ride and finally an apology from Uber, and asked me to try again, which I did. The Uber took me to a bus on Elton Ave. After a short period of thinking, the bus trip to Center City and then one home didn’t appeal to me. I said to the driver take me home. 3 hours later, I arrived at my door.
What a story to tell.