39 - Ceres Magazine - Oct/Nov 2015
to try to reduce issues such as accidents.
Felix: Yes, but it’s not gonna change anything with the freight trains delaying us. They really need to work on their schedules.
Ceres: What advice would you give to somebody who is just starting taking the train?
Felix: You are not gonna be as stressed out than if you drive. Everybody's always late. Why? Because the traffic is so slow. You have people cutting you off, and everybody ends up in a bad mood. On the train, you meet great people. The Metrolink staff is great and knowledgeable, and everybody seems happier. You’re not gonna be upset as much.
Ceres: But for some commuters, public transit is stressful.
Felix: Yes, but it comes back to the schedules again. When the train is late.
Ceres: What is the best thing that has ever happened on your commute?
Felix: I actually met a girl on the train, and we are going out, and we are getting along. I don’t know where it’s gonna go, but we’ll see.
Ceres: What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you on your commute?
Felix: I’ve missed my train! And I had to wait for the next one for about two hours.
Ceres: Any fun stories?
Felix: You mean beside me sneaking up on friends when they sleep, or coming behind them with a: “Tickets, please!” [Laughter]
Ceres: Yep, you are quite the jokester!
Felix: [Laughter] A friend of mine, once brought a fake spider on the train and she showed it to me. We were a whole group of friends. I snatched the spider out of her hand, and it went flying across the aisle, and landed near a bunch of girls. Another friend, on cue, jumped on his feet and started stomping the fake spider, yelling, “A Tarantula!” The young girls started screaming. It was hilarious!
Ceres: Yeah, I remember that one, mainly that I had to go retrieve the fake spider, and tell the girls that it was fake.
Felix: [Laughter] It was so hilarious. Ah, that were the good old times! We were a group of friends, always starting some sort of trouble on the train. But what I'm saying is that we can have a real good time on the train. You get to know a lot of people, and become really good friends, as we really know each other personally. I love it!
Ceres: Thank you Mike, Veronica, Richard and Felix for sharing with us your commute experience and stories. In conclusion, although using public transportation can be a source of frustration, it is also a source of enjoyment when one knows how to navigate the occasional mechanical issues, lateness, delays and being stuck for hours at times with nowhere to go, and learn how to "go with the flow!"
Al Mohymont for Ceres Magazine
"I actually met a girl on the train, and we are going out, and we are getting along."
79 - Ceres Magazine - Winter 2016