The flipside of my previous entry is my angry reaction to the Red Sox game-day crowds. It feels like barely a minute has passed since the World Series, with all its attendant excitement, massive crowding, and delays. Now here we are again. Wednesday I emerged into Park Street station to face hordes of Sox fans, talking loudly about which train to catch, pushing and jostling to get on the trains, reeking of alcohol, and laughing derisively at people with dark skin or native dress. I missed my first train because of the crowding, figuring I'd grab the next, less crowded train. Dream on! By the time the next train came, a new crowd had formed, to merge with the crowd already packing the train. I got in line to get on and 5 or 6 groups of fans pushed in front of me. Cursing and scowling fiercely, I got out of line and moved down the platform, deciding to get on the D train and transfer at Kenmore. By this point, I was completely stressed and flustered, glowering at everyone and forgetting my manners. I put on my iPod, stopped pretending to read the New Yorker, and let Ryan Adams soothe my ruffled nerves. The D Train was fine, the transfer was smooth (especially interesting to watch the sea of fans trying to disembark, disgorge, and climb the stairs at Kenmore), and I arrived home a mere 2 hours after I left work. Play ball!

[Note: as you can see, this incident went a long way towards making me forget the fact that I like the Red Sox and often enjoy the fervor and fanaticism of their fans. I'm hoping those feelings will return, at least in between public transportation battles.]