When the woman off-boarded about ten minutes later, the train conductor followed the sour puss out onto the street. Suddenly, I could hear high-pitched screaming coming from the woman. The train operator came back on the train muttering to herself about how folk who can't behave themselves do not get to be a passenger on her train. I could hear the Russian woman call the train operator an ape from the street before the train doors closed. The train operator is, as I am sure you could guess, African-American. At the next stop, the train operator came down the aisle of the train telling everyone that this was her last stop and that we were to leave the train immediately. In truth, it was no where near her last stop.
On my way out of the train, I tried to apologize for the horrid behavior of the older woman, but the operator wasn't having it. Not looking at me, she just repeated a variation of what I had heard her say before: if you can't behave yourself on the train, then you don't get to ride. I fully agree with that statement, but did wonder what it had to do with the rest of us. Another train came along presently.
It sounds like she was so upset she took the rest of the day off. Sometimes things are so bad that a person can't take it anymore. I'm reminded of a day where a teacher got pushed into the mud. It was raining, and it was crowded, so I don't think it was intentional. She took the rest of the day off. I don't think anyone blamed her for that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm thinking she directed the train back to the 'barn' and clocked off.
DeleteMuni workers are routinely over-worked and underpaid. A slew of workers, in effect, 'called in sick' yesterday to the degree that morning commuters were asked to find 'alternate routes' to work.
Wow. I wonder how she handles that on her time card.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder as well what the talk was back at the 'bus barn'.
DeleteThe straw which broke the camel's back? I do hope that she refound her equilibrium.
ReplyDeleteIndeed I hope both of them do.
Probably it was. These folk are underpaid/overworked and often commute a great distance in for work. It can't be a walk through the park.
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ReplyDeleteThat might have been her last ride as a conductor. I'm sure that sometimes it all becomes too much for African Americans.
ReplyDeleteYes, even in 'liberal' San Francisco, racist outbursts are alive and well. I don't blame the train operator for giving us all the boot.
DeleteI know it's easier said than done but the world would be a lot better place if we practiced kindness. I guess it's easier to be a butthole these days.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. A lot of people seem to be stuck in 'How dare you?!' mode & that is damaging. I am, of course, referring to the irate passenger.
DeleteDear Bea, since I was little, I've had the notion that when I got to heaven--whatever that is--I'd learn what was behind everything i heard and saw. Then I'd know the pain of both the Russian woman and the conductor. So many people live with so much pain. Peace.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Dee. The Russian woman was like a firecracker waiting to go off. There certainly has to be something behind that rage.
Delete-good to hear from you, Dee, by the way!
Hugs from SF. xx
She probably felt humiliated and felt everyone on the train was looking at her. By ending the trip it was like ending the nightmare. You were just an innocent passenger caught up in it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would imagine that that was the case. Regardless of how many passengers actually heard what the irate woman said, that type of language must have hit the train operator deeply. The working conditions for these folk can often be untenable. She did what she needed to do for herself.
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