Why I can't stay out past 9:00 on a weeknight

because it would take frackin' forever to get home...

I just had a wonderful evening with Paula, Reeves & Christopher. (Yay! Paula and Reeves are back in town!)

We had a yummy sushi dinner at Hana Zen, then ate Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream while sitting at a table in the Square. Lovely.

We decided to call it a night around 10:00. Christopher was just a few blocks from his place, and Paula and Reeves walked me to the Powell Street BART/MUNI station on their way back to their hotel.

I paid my buck-fifty, and went down to the platform. Within about 5 minutes, a J-Church train came, and a sign said the N-Judah would arrive in another 10 minutes or so. After the N came, the sign said another J train was coming.

Now, those of you who live here know that the trains that come to the Castro Station are "K", "L", and "M". (Like the airline - easy to remember)

Well, there were no signs of any K, L or M trains.

Finally, a voice over the loudspeaker mentioned that there were no K, L or M train service after 9:00. Anyone going to the Castro needed to take either the J or N train, get off at Van Ness, then take the shuttle bus to Castro. That's all fine and dandy, assuming you have an extra 1/2 hour to kill, and you don't mind hanging out at Van Ness at Market Street at 10:30 at night. (not the best part of town, to say the least.)

So, I figured my best bet would be to take the J train to Church street, and walk the extra mile or so to Castro street. Not a bad option, which I wouldn't mind if it were the middle of the day, and if I had the right walking shoes.

I called Dick to let him tell him the situation, and to tell him I'd be home later than expected. He, of course, had the obvious solution: take a cab.

So I did.

I went back up the stairs to Market Street, caught a cab straight away, paid the guy $12, and was home within 10 minutes.

You know, I try to be a good urban dweller by taking public transportation when ever I can. Sometimes, it's just a lot harder than it needs to be.

I asked the MUNI station attendant what was going on. She said that they recently started construction between the Castro and the West Portal stations, and that the service to the Castro Station would end at 9:00 on weeknights. She also said that this was expected to last for about a year. (!)

Now I know why I'm usually in bed by 10:00 on a school night.