Comment of the Week

I love when this happens. You write a post, seemingly in isolation from most of the world, and then someone incredibly close to the situation finds the post (however obscure the subject matter) and responds. It's happened so many times on this blog, I can't begin to count: an old bandmate of Johnny Thunders drops me a line, Guitar Center works argue about their employer in response to a post, authors respond directly to criticism of their work. And so on.

This week's comment kudos go to "Metro-North Conductor," who with a little fast clickwork, is revealed to be Bobby, a terrific blogger who writes from the conductor's POV over on his excellent site, Derailed. Here's what he had to say in response to this post of mine:

According to Metro North Revenue rules, a single ride ticket, like the one the hispanic commuter had, are non-transferable between lines. If this individual had a montly ticket, like yourself, his ticket could be used on all three lines.

I've never understood this policy, but it probably has something to do with how CT funds their portion of Metro North versus how NY funds it.

Having said this, I would have let the guy go. I think I might know who your particular conductor was, and believe me, he would have thrown you off just as fast as the hispanic guy.

Of course he would have let the guy go - most of the conductors I run into would have; it's what made the incident memorable. In any case, here's a bonus from Bobby - who often writes about the celebrities he meets up and down the rails - and this one has an incredible common sense lesson about politicians:

During the 1992 presidential campaign, then Governor Bill Clinton made a campaign stop in Grand Central. He was followed by a huge press corp, jostling cameras and carrying microphones. As I walked by the crowd I paused to see what all the commotion was about. Clinton saw me, a workingman dressed in full uniform. He paused (he knew this was a great photo opportunity,) and held his hand out to me. He looked me straight in the eye and firmly grasped my outstretched hand with his right hand as he clasped my forearm with his left. He made me feel as if I were the only person in that cavernous station, and I was not surprised when he won the election that November.

Howard Dean on the other hand did not impress me at all. It was after the democratic primaries but shortly before he had been named Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He boarded the train and sat down right across from the train’s lavatory. Unfortunately, most lavatories on our trains emanate a foul barnyard odor. Smart commuters avoid the seats surrounding the lavatory like the plague. Even though there were several other seats available, he chose to sit right across from the lavatory.

Now I ask, if a man does not have enough sense to not sit across from a bathroom on a Metro North train, how can he ever hope to be the leader of the free world?

 

Comments

[Tony Alva]

I just went over there and read a bunch of his posts. Fantastic! I've got to find a way to move back to the NYC area.

[Tom K]

That's neat feedback, Tom.

The conductor's story reminds me of something my Dad told me. While with the NYPD, he was assigned to the RFK funeral detail which, I believe, went through Grand Central. He was impressed by the fact that the family allowed only the pallbearers and other family members to carry the casket, even when they were in the bowels of the station and completely out of the public eye. It was hot and there was evidently a good bit of toting to do, but they never used the help that was obviously available to them.

He had seen a lot of that family -- enough to know their public image (then pristine) was very different from private fact -- and wasn't a supporter of theirs, but he felt they showed something in that respect.

[Slappy]

I'd rather sit next to Dean than Clinton. Foul stench and all.

[Bobby McDonough]

Tom,
Thanks for the shout out on your blog. I'm very impressed with your site as well. I invite all of your readers to visit my site, http://bobbyderailed.blogspot.com
I love the company.
Most of my celebrity posts are actually excerpts from an essay I wrote about 6 months ago. I titled it,"Conductor to the Stars." I've sent it to a few magazines but as of yet, I've had no luck getting it published. I did give a copy to Metro North's Corporate Communications Department, they in turn sent it to Jack Kadden, a columnist at the New York Times. Kadden wrote a piece on celebrities who ride the train in his "Commuter's Journal" column. He was kind enough to dedicate a couple of paragraph's to me and my story.
I found your blog by typing "Metro North" into my blog's search engine, and your post popped up. Technology is a wonderful thing!

[Tom W.]

Funnily enough, when I was briefly a stringer for the Times many years ago now, Jack Kadden was my editor. Small world.

[panasianbiz]

I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research. I have often read that those, like Clinton, who have the ability to listen so effectively that they make the one speaking to them feel as if they are the most important person in the world, are usually well loved and successful, despite whatever flaws they may otherwise possess.

[Ryan Naraine]

I loved Bobby's Andy Rooney story.

[ellie]

it won't let me sign into myspace and after every time I try it won't let me on to myspace again no matter what computer i'm on. no body else is having this problem! if i try and search a users url it will let me on and let me go onto the music and browser's pages but won't let me onto home or onto people's pictures as it won't let me onto any login pages. do you know what's wrong? has someone hacked my account? what should i do about it? please get back to me, as i am devastated and missing myspace! :(