The Mad Dash, Part III

… continued (See Part I and Part II)

R + J run into the Amtrak station, numerous heavy bags in tow. They have ten minutes to pick up previously reserved tickets, find their train, and board. R runs toward the electronic ticket booth; J stands in the real-person line. An ominous sign reading “No tickets issued five minutes before departure” is posted everywhere.

R: (Weaving madly through line-directing ribbon and other Amtrak customers.) I got to the front of the electronic ticket line, but I didn’t have the confirmation number! (Pulls out laptop; starts scrolling through email.)
J: Ack! There are a million people at the electronic booths now!
R: This line is moving pretty fast, maybe you’ll get to the front first. Remember this confirmation number: AFGT51644076HY1245.
J: Great! No problem.

R + J advance in their respective lines painfully slowly. Six minutes prior to departure, Janna reaches the front of her real-person line. She triumphantly rattles off the confirmation number, only to find out that she needs both passengers present with photo IDs. She scans the crowd for R, who is 100 yards away. As she pulls out her cell phone, he runs toward her.

R: Let’s go! Now! I got the tickets! The clock changed to 5 minutes before departure exactly one second after I hit “Print.”
J: Thank God, because I didn’t have your ID and that woman and all the other customers were glaring at me …

R + J wind through Union Station, discovering along the way that they are leaving from Track 16. Upon arriving, they it’s unclear how to enter the track.

R: You go that way (Gestures toward what appears to be a formal boarding area, which is completely empty.), and I’ll go this way (Gestures toward more dubious entrance that looks like it’s actually part of the Chicago city rail system.)
J: (Reflecting on the fact that, while Divide and Conquer was an excellent ticket-obtaining strategy, it might result in only one person boarding the train if employed here.) Ummmm. OK.

R + J run in separate directions, with approximately two minutes to spare. R discovers that, upon explaining that he is due on a train literally about to take off, his unorthodox route is easily forgiven. Janna, on the other hand, reaches a boarding area that has been roped off. She stands paralyzed behind a crowd-control ribbon as R waves frantically, gesturing for her to join him on the track.

J: (Thinks to herself.) No. No. NO. I WILL NOT GET STUCK IN CHICAGO. (Looks warily at the Amtrak employee “guarding” the entrance, then breaks through the ribbon and runs toward R.)
Amtrak Employee: (With a look of incredulity.) WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?!
J: (Still running.)I’m going to miss my train! It’s right there!
AE: Let me see your ticket!
J: I don’t have it! (Gestures toward R.) He has it! (Continues running, now followed by not one but two Amtrak employees.)

J reaches R and loses her pursuers, silently grateful that this is a train station and not an airport (Homeland Security interrogation? NOT HOT). R + J run down the track, board, and manage to find seats next to each other. The train leaves the station approximately 15 seconds later.

Filed under Anecdotes, Theatre of the Absurd

2 Responses So Far
  1. 1

    Janna said,

    January 9, 2008 @ 10:44 am

    Oh wow - I was getting all nervous for you! Great story tho. But yes - good that it wasn’t the airport - you probably would still be in court explaining yourself.

  2. 2

    Sharon said,

    January 27, 2008 @ 5:17 pm

    Nancy just loved your story. She sent a copy to a friend that she went to college with as they had a similar experience many, many years ago.

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