Today On The Light Rail
Seeing red on METRO: Why won't a man trust a woman's directions?
When the train approached, it was covered in a giant red sign reading “STOP.THINK.”, which totally threw this man for a loop.Photo by Wendy Siegle/KUHF News
By no means am I a metro expert, I’m simply a very observant rider who can tellthe difference between downtown and South Fannin.
LostGuy: “So I be headin' to Fiesta and Jack-in-the-Box and Church’s that way?”
When I was a kid, my mom told me to never talk to strangers. As an adult, I can’t help but talk to strangers.
Every day, I ride the light rail from my home in Midtown to my job in the medical center. Every day, I experience something a little out of the ordinary that makes for a good story.
Over a year ago, I started to share these usually ridiculous stories with friends to give a little inside scoop on public transportation in Houston. Now, you can experience a taste of my random light rail encounters weekly via CultureMap.
Today on the light rail, I gave a man directions — but he asked for a second opinion.
By no means am I a METRO expert. I’m simply a very observant rider who can tell the difference between Downtown and South Fannin. After adding money to my Q Card on the platform today (I was given a warning ticket last Friday for an unpaid fare), I waited patiently for the usual 8:37 a.m. train. Being the nosey person I am, I heard a man talking to a girl on the other side of the platform. Five minutes later, the man hollered at me.
Lost: “Say…say…”
I’m always confused when people use this as a way to address somebody. I think to myself, “Say what?”
Me: “Yes?"
LostGuy: “Say..which way I needa be goin if I am tryna get to Fiesta. I don’t wanna be goin to no Downtown.”
Me: “Well that way is Downtown, so you’re on the right platform."
LostGuy: “So I be headin to Fiesta and Jack In the Box and Church’s that way?”
Me: “Yes sir."
LostGuy: “So this train won’t be goin Downtown?”
Me: “Nope"
LostGuy: “So if I take this train, Imma get to Fiesta or at least da way I wanna be goin?”
Me: “Yes. What stop are you trying to get to?"
LostGuy: “Fiesta. Is dat dis way?”
Me: “Yes that’s what I said."
LostGuy: “So I won’t be goin Downtown if I take this train comin up?”
Me: “No sir."
LostGuy: “Aight. Thank you.”
Less than a minute later, another man approaches the platform and this is when I realized Lost was not satisfied with my directions.
LostGuy: “Say man…”
Man: “Yuh?"
LostGuy: “I’m tryna get to da Fiesta stop.”
Man: “You headin the right way."
LostGuy: “Aight thanks.”
That was that. LostGuy finally found his way by asking for a second (quite possibly a third since I didn’t hear his conversation with the other lady) opinion. And after asking me the same question 10 times, he only asked the man once.
When the train approached, it was covered in a giant red sign reading “STOP. THINK.”, which totally threw this man for a loop.
LostGuy: “WHAT??? WHAT TRAIN IS THIS?!?!? I AIN’T NEVER SEEN DIS ONE.”
Man: “It’s an advertisement man, it’s goin da same way. Only one track in Houston, you on drugs or somethin?"
LostGuy: “Hell I wish I was..”
Moral of the story: From now on, I will always give a man wrong directions because it won’t matter anyways.
