I Heart the Ferry

This is why I love the ferry...

The other morning I woke up tired, feeling like I was fighting yet another office germ, so I wasn't out of bed until 7:30. That isn't too late, generally, but I *really* didn't want to take Bart. It's just so dreary compared to sailing across the bay on a gorgeous, Indian summer morning.

I decided to do what I could to get out of the house as quickly as possible in hopes of catching the last ferry to SF. The last ferry leaves at 8:30, sharp. It's about 15 minutes away, give or take a few depending on traffic.

A few times I thought there was no way I was going to make it and resigned myself to another boring train ride, but at 8:20, I grabbed my stuff along with my comb and ran out of the house with my wet hair flying behind me, deciding I'd try like hell to catch the boat.

My neighbor walked over just as I was backing out of the driveway, trying to ask me to babysit his dog sometime. I could only holler out the window that I was late and I'd have to talk to him later.

That cost me 15 seconds I didn't have. Can't you see my hair is wet, I look frantic, and I'm backing out of my driveway a lot faster than I usually do? Go polish your truck - I'm LATE!

Then there was all sorts of traffic on the way towards the dock - busy streets leading out to the main drag, then the main road was totally gridlocked.

It never used to be like this - suddenly we have traffic here. I kept watching the minutes tick down, realizing I'd likely get to the ferry right as it was leaving and would have to turn around and drive my ass to that skeevy bart station.

I kept on, barreling down the last street toward the parking lot. As I turned the corner, I saw that the boat was still there - it was 8:30 on the nose. I threw the car into the first spot I saw, grabbed my shit and took off running.

About halfway from my car to the dock, I saw the guy closing the gate - dammit, dammit, dammit! I kept running hoping he might see me in time - it was too far to yell. Damn traffic, damn neighbor, damn oversleeping!

At the curb by the gate, a maritime officer was sitting in his truck. As I ran toward the curb behind his truck, he started honking his horn. I was watching the gate, and once that car horn blew, the guy at the gate swung it back open!

I ran past the truck smiling and mouthed a very grateful "thank you" to the guy in the truck who smiled and waved. How friendly and civilized! I was still running at a full clip when I hit the gate and the guy at the gate said, "It's fine! no need to run - you made it!"

Once on the boat, I went to the upstairs deck where it seemed quieter, where I could chill out and enjoy my book. The lower deck is the social area, which is nice, but I thought I'd chill out on the upper deck.

I was settling into my seat when the first mate looked right at me through the window from the bridge, and while smiling, gave me a slight wag of the finger as he looked down at his watch and then back at me. I gave him the same smiling, silent "thank you" and he laughed.

Anyone who's ever taken Bart can tell you, there's no train "operator" on the planet who would hold the train a half second longer, even if they see you sprinting toward an open door. Sure, the train's gotta be on time, but seriously - a half second - that's all it would take - but they'll never, ever give it to you.

Thank you ferry!