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The New Wollaston Station

July 30, 2020April 4, 2020 by Lisa Johnson

This picture of the renovated Wollaston Station in Quincy, Massachusetts is from August 16, 2019. I’m writing this post on April 4, 2020 and living in a new world.

The global pandemic of coronavirus rages on. We are waiting out this health crisis in our homes for the most part. Hoping not to catch COVID-19 and hoping not to spread it.

I’m only going out to take a walk or go grocery shopping for me and my mom. When we come back home from grocery shopping, we have to clean everything that we bought before putting anything away. Wash our hands repeatedly. The list goes on. These are such strange times.

One thing I’m trying to do while I’m at home is write more. Over the years, there have probably been hundreds of posts that I wasn’t able to write due to lack of time. Since I have a bit more time now, I’m hoping to go back and write some of those posts. I have pictures and notes ready and waiting. So I will take some old things and make them new. Plus, writing calms my nerves. Writing has always made me happy.

I thought I had written a post about when Wollaston Station reopened. I was looking for it to link to another post, but couldn’t find it. It seems that I had just taken pictures of the station, but never got around to writing it up. Or at least I can’t find it now. So this is that post.

It took close to two years for the station to be renovated. It’s a much nicer station and what a relief to not have to take the shuttle to North Quincy.

But for my life now, my last project ended in mid-February and I don’t think that I have taken the T since then. I certainly don’t know the next time that I will take it. And I wonder if I will feel safe. When will we be sure the spread is contained? June? July? I don’t know. I guess none of us really does.

Subway Stories: These MBTA Days

July 30, 2020June 15, 2019 by Lisa Johnson

Tuesday morning I got a text from a friend warning me about the Red Line because of a derailment. The T is always a mess and the Green Line had just derailed a few days before. Unfortunately, this has become a regular thing. So I figured more of the same.

Then I looked at Twitter and saw MBTA and Red Line trending, but not just locally in Boston. Nationally. That’s never good.

Because of the Wollaston Station renovation, for more than a year my commute is negatively impacted and each additional situation makes it that much worse. It’s so frustrating that the powers that be, who could change things, don’t seem to care at all.

Each time something happens, they talk about how things are improving and for us to be patient. But they are not taking the train. It’s also dangerous. Is it going to take a mass casualty situation with multiple people killed and injured for something to really change? I really hope not.

It’s that much more of a slap in the face, when we are told to seek alternate transportation. If we had alternate transportation, we would use it! Now! If parking downtown were more affordable and the traffic were not so bad, I would drive. Every day!

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A Song Is Born

Anyway, yesterday morning I woke up and the theme from All in the Family was in my head for whatever strange reason and I kept humming it.

Then I started thinking about the horrible commute I would soon be facing and the words to the theme song – Those Were The Days.

“Someone should switch the words to something about the T,” I thought. Then I started thinking about lyrics. Long story short. I am a writer. However I never thought of myself as a song writer.

But when words start swirling around in my head and I can’t get them out, the best way to stop the chatter is to write them down and do something with them.

So I wrote lyrics for a song called These MBTA Days to the tune of Those Were The Days for my own sanity and amusement. Hope you enjoy them too! 🎶

🎹

Mixed signals you do send.
I hope we don’t have a tragic end.
You make me wait over and over again.
These MBTA days.

Me with an awful hangnail.
So of course you decide to derail.
We could use a leader like Elizabeth Warren who always has a good plan.

Remember the three days the T ran great?
Now I try to contain my rage.
When I get home, I’ll burn some sage.
To wipe away these MBTA days!

🎼

Wollaston Station Renovation

July 30, 2020June 4, 2017 by Lisa Johnson 2 Comments

Over the years, I’ve often written about my commute. Subway Stories grew out of the weirdness of riding the T.

So. My commute is about to get a bit more involved. I go to Wollaston Station and it’s about to undergo a significant renovation. The construction will make it accessible, according to NBC Boston.

The article says that there will also be new elevators, bathrooms, additional lighting and better stairways. Security will improve and the flooding problem will hopefully be eliminated. The renovations may start next month and could continue through June 2020.

The changes are long overdue and I’m glad they’re happening. But the timing has been a bit up in the air and still seems subject to change. Oh and the main issue, at least for me, is that the station is going to close for several years. Yup. Years.

While I was in the CVS near the station, people were talking about how they wondered if the closure would impact the number of people visiting the store.

Shuttle buses will replace the train between Wollaston and North Quincy stations. It probably won’t be that big of a deal, but will add some time to my commute in to Boston.

The third public meeting [PDF] will take place Wednesday, June 21st, 6:30pm at the Central Middle School Auditorium. I’m not sure if I’ll be going yet, but I’m considering it. What about you?

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*Updated 9/17/2017*

Just read a Boston.com article stating that the closure will be in late December.

Subway Stories: Singing In The Rain

July 30, 2020April 25, 2017 by Lisa Johnson

Wasn’t me singing in the rain. Didn’t break out dancing Gene Kelly style either.

I was more trying to stay warm and dry and hoping for sun again. But I walked by three people singing today! Just randomly singing.

While I was walking to the train going to work, I passed a man who was trying to stay dry, walking quickly and covered up with a huge clear piece of plastic.

After he passed me, he broke out into song — “Oh My Love” from Ghost to be exact. He had quite a nice voice.

Then after getting off the escalator at Prudential Center, a homeless man that I always see, was singing his heart out. Into a cell phone. He was singing Always and Forever by Heatwave. Again, he sounded pretty good and I’ve always loved that song.

Then when I was leaving work tonight, I passed a man who was actually not singing, but loudly and happily humming.

Not sure what was in the air, but it was quite a musical commute. While I was waiting at Park Street, there was a man playing a saxaphone. Something about a sax that gives such mood and ambiance. Even when just waiting for the train on a rainy day.

Subway Stories: The Kindness of Strangers at Park Street

July 30, 2020March 25, 2017 by Lisa Johnson 6 Comments

Two weeks ago I got a lesson. To slow down. One of my worst traits is impatience. It’s a constant struggle.

If human beings are put on this earth to have experiences that will teach us lessons, then mine is probably to slow down and be patient. Thus the need for yoga and meditation.

Back to the story. I was switching from the Red Line at Park Street to catch an E Train on the Green Line. If you’ve taken the T and been on the E Line, then you know that those trains do not come frequently. The wait feels like forever.

So I started running. I’ve run for this train a bunch of times and have been perfectly fine. No incident. And I always make the train.

Usually I’m wearing sneakers or flats though. This time I forgot that I was not wearing sneakers or flats. I think it was really cold that day, so I was wearing my snow boots. I was too close to the yellow line as well. Someone stepped in front of me, so I tried to weave around them. Again, done this a million times, no problem.

This time, there was a problem. My balance was off because of the boots or being too close to the edge of the walkway or both, so I fell. As I was falling, I was thinking that this was so funny and stupid. Why was I in such a rush? I thought that I was just tripping and would be able to recover my balance. Unfortunately not.

Then I felt myself rolling over onto the train tracks. At the same time I’m thinking, “Oh no,” and “I hope I didn’t break anything.” Luckily I fell forwards with my hands out and not backwards. I had on very thick leggings. My boots are very puffy. So is my coat. I had on a hat and gloves, so I was mostly covered up and protected.

I think I may have been in shock, because I was just lying on the tracks trying to get my bearings. I don’t remember if it was me actively trying to get up and people grabbing my hands as I reached up or people just grabbing my hands and pulling me up. Either way, there were two sets of hands pulling me up.

It must have been quite the sight for people to see. There’s probably a crazy looking video too.

Anyway, two strangers were kind enough to grab me and pull me up off the train tracks. For them I am eternally grateful. Luckily there wasn’t a train coming.

I twisted my left ankle and it’s still a bit painful, but not too bad. I really ripped up my right knee. It’s still raw and I’m wearing bandages everyday, but it’s healing.

I’ve had to walk slower than my normal pace due to my ankle and knee. It was not worth running for the train. Sure, I would have missed it, but I would have made the next train, which I ended up on anyway — and without the injuries.

Needless to say, when I have a choice between rushing or not, I’m trying to slow down — my eternal lesson. It’s still not easy for me. I don’t know if it ever will be easy. But I keep trying.

Thank you to the two kind strangers! I may never know your names, but I appreciate that you pulled me up and got me back on my feet.

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Updated 3/26/2017: Universal Hub picked up this post and you can see it by clicking here.