This is just a quick entry about the interesting people I meet along my trips. On one segment, I spoke to a retired lady who was afraid of clouds. “you see that one right there?” she asked as she pointed to a medium-size cloud in the distance. “See? That’s scary; that’s a big cloud, and it’s too close. I wouldn’t want to be near it on a plane.” At first I thought she was pulling my chain, but as our conversation unfolded, I realized she was entirely serious! Another woman bonded with us because she was afraid of rocks. “I like the rocks to stay down there where I can see them. I just don’t like rocks.” Every time we passed some big rocks, she’d shake her head and look away. These people were perfectly normal—mentally competent, that is—and their fear, though perhaps unfounded, was compelling. “I would never fly; I’ve never even been to the airport. Airports scare me,” the lady afraid of clouds confessed.
As I have mentioned briefly on a previous entry, I saw a woman who had taken off her wig and placed it next to her on a little stand (not a head, but a little red box). She slept comfortably while the wig greeted the passengers who passed by her seat and looked twice before moving on. By now I have been on some crowded trains, and I have even been woken up so that a person could sit next to me. I wonder how one asks the wig lady to move her wig so that another passenger may take a seat.
Other "interesting" people? Two days ago, a mother let her child go to the bathroom barefooted. That's correct; the kid had no shoes or socks, and he simply strolled to the filthy car bathroom. Note to parents: the train isn't the cleanest place...
Showing posts with label intersting people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intersting people. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Mean People, Fun People
Mean People
Let me begin this entry by saying that overall, my experience with Amtrak staff has been a more than positive one. In the trip from Kansas City to Los Angeles, however, some staff members were less than happy to be on board. They got the job done, but that’s about it. Now, I would not be writing about this had it not been for other passengers’ complaining about the inhospitable staff (it wouldn’t be polite to name individuals, so let’s keep the details aside). Several passengers complained about one ‘gentleman’ who was bossy, rude, and snide. One lady commented, “he was just rude. I just try to avoid him.” Another one confessed, “You know, the staff overall has been great, but that one guy is just a jerk.” Yet another passenger snapped, “he’s nasty. This is a customer service business; he needs to learn to be nice.” One lady rated the staff on her first trip as cordial and friendly, but on the return she complained “they’re just cold.”
The staff does have a full schedule, and maybe their efficiency just comes across as short-tempered. I do have to agree, though, if it weren’t for the people and the scenery, this trip would not have been pleasant.
Fun People
To entertain themselves, people do all sorts of things: a lot of the pass time by relaxing in the observatory and playing card games. Others listen to music, watch movies, play video games, and sleep. I came across a group of scouts who were traveling from Chicago to go hiking. What do they do to keep themselves entertained? “We play card games, pray, and do some writing games.” “What writing games?” I asked. “We write a story by writing one sentence and passing it around." My sister asked me to upload pictures of what people do, so here they are!
Let me begin this entry by saying that overall, my experience with Amtrak staff has been a more than positive one. In the trip from Kansas City to Los Angeles, however, some staff members were less than happy to be on board. They got the job done, but that’s about it. Now, I would not be writing about this had it not been for other passengers’ complaining about the inhospitable staff (it wouldn’t be polite to name individuals, so let’s keep the details aside). Several passengers complained about one ‘gentleman’ who was bossy, rude, and snide. One lady commented, “he was just rude. I just try to avoid him.” Another one confessed, “You know, the staff overall has been great, but that one guy is just a jerk.” Yet another passenger snapped, “he’s nasty. This is a customer service business; he needs to learn to be nice.” One lady rated the staff on her first trip as cordial and friendly, but on the return she complained “they’re just cold.”
The staff does have a full schedule, and maybe their efficiency just comes across as short-tempered. I do have to agree, though, if it weren’t for the people and the scenery, this trip would not have been pleasant.
Fun People
To entertain themselves, people do all sorts of things: a lot of the pass time by relaxing in the observatory and playing card games. Others listen to music, watch movies, play video games, and sleep. I came across a group of scouts who were traveling from Chicago to go hiking. What do they do to keep themselves entertained? “We play card games, pray, and do some writing games.” “What writing games?” I asked. “We write a story by writing one sentence and passing it around." My sister asked me to upload pictures of what people do, so here they are!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Ride to St. Louis
The train ride to St. Louis promises to be long and full of surprises. As soon as I settle on my seat, my companion and I begin to share stories. Within thirty minutes, she’s explained her work before retirement, her travel plans, and some family stories. A mother puts her baby on the floor so that he can crawl, and my companion looks at me in disbelief, “oh my God. That’s filthy! Would you put your baby on the floor?” We laugh about parenting, make fun about the lady next to us listening to loud music, and drop our jaws when we see a woman who has taken off her wig and placed it next to her seat, on top of a little stand. If this isn't picturesque, I do not know what is.
“Why the train,” I ask her.
“Well, it cost me 22 dollars from Dallas to Shreveport. You can’t beat that. I can’t even fill up my tank for 22 dollars!” It only takes the first few minutes of my ride to make me realize that many others are traveling on Amtrak because, for them, Amtrak is the most inexpensive option. A high school student and I converse for a few minutes, and I find out he makes the inexpensive trip from Shreveport to Little Rock every other week. Towards the end of the night, I meet an eight-month pregnant mother whose only option is the train (doctors do not allow traveling by plane after the third trimester).
I go to bed around 1AM and wake up at 5:30--the seat was rather comfortable and I had plenty of leg room. Surprisingly, my train arrives in St. Louis thirty minutes earlier than planned (at some point, we were about 1.5 hours behind).
***
I am now in St. Louis, meandering around downtown. Below are some pictures:
“Why the train,” I ask her.
“Well, it cost me 22 dollars from Dallas to Shreveport. You can’t beat that. I can’t even fill up my tank for 22 dollars!” It only takes the first few minutes of my ride to make me realize that many others are traveling on Amtrak because, for them, Amtrak is the most inexpensive option. A high school student and I converse for a few minutes, and I find out he makes the inexpensive trip from Shreveport to Little Rock every other week. Towards the end of the night, I meet an eight-month pregnant mother whose only option is the train (doctors do not allow traveling by plane after the third trimester).
I go to bed around 1AM and wake up at 5:30--the seat was rather comfortable and I had plenty of leg room. Surprisingly, my train arrives in St. Louis thirty minutes earlier than planned (at some point, we were about 1.5 hours behind).
***
I am now in St. Louis, meandering around downtown. Below are some pictures:
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