BART

BART

In the cold air I chill on a futuristic and institutional way around the Bay.
With one hole in my left sock, the wind blows without a stop.

West Oakland reads a sign in BLOCK…LETTERS…

In white on top – of a solid rectangle of black.

There’s more black in that sign than there is white, but the white gives you instructions.

With the wind speeding and slowing, but definitely blowing,

The BART sign flashes…flashes…flashes…PITSBURGH BAY POINT.

I enter a sliding door and sit behind a cat that resembles Mr. Dabolina.

He looks nervous, but too programmed to move.

With four duffle bags of luggage, maybe he’s coming from the San Francisco Airport at night.

My pager reads 12:16am as we enter a tunnel to 12^th street City Center…

Slowing to get out.

Now I sit on a Richmond Bound Train, posted.

Patiently as I wait a (Po-Po Penelope) Police member walks up to soak up a complaint from an African.

I sit.

Hearing and feeling the power of the train…… we wait.

Now………We go………

Jerking to slowing!

“19^th Street” whispers a sister as we slowww to stop and the door opens in front of blue bricks to leave just as fast as we came.

You see, noise in the Bay Tunnels can be music to my ears…

ABOVE THE STREETS – BESIDES THE FREEWAY – HEADED TO MACARTHUR – GOING TO NORTH BERKELEY – WHERE THE SIGNS ALL READ WHITE LETTERS ON RECTANGLE BLACK BLOCKS.

GOING TO ASHBY next tunnel to passing CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL.

QUICKLY TO GET TO ASHBY – AS WE SLIDE ON TRACKS IN THE SKY.

ABOVE THE NORTH POLE OF OAKLAND, below Berkeley in a tunnel to now slooooooowwww and stop…at, like the sister said, “Ashby Station” as the doors open.

In the first train of a Richmond Train leaving to get to my destination.

My left ear bubble wont pop, but I still here Berkeley Station getting closer as we slow to stop!

STOP!

As we stopped two individuals get up and out they hopped.

Next stop, hmmmmmm, my destination.

As I get ready to go…

We speed up…. and we slowww.

We stop and out I hop at, as the sister sayyyys, NORTH BERKELEY, the doors shut.

Damn! My wallet!