dreaming of the mbta

Um.... strange, but it's been the second time in a week when I've had a dream that involved the MBTA (Boston's subway system, to be specific). Must be those spare passes I keep seeing in my wallet.

Dream #1:
I was trying to catch the red line to Kendall Square (MIT Sloan reference I'm sure). But instead of the current system of trains, they had this huge two story platform like it was some sci-fi movie or something.

Basically there were two sets of tracks so that twice as many trains could run. I decided to try to bottom tracks.

As I got to the bottom platform I noticed that my train was just leaving. Crap. I raced back up the ramp to try to catch the one on the upper platform, since that's where the next train would arrive.

As I neared the upper platform, the train arrived. "I got it" thought me. I ran to the car closest to me, but the door closed just before I got there. Crap again.

Knowing that I can't make it back down to the bottom platform in time by running, I stood frozen for a few moments trying to decide what to do. I heard the train coming in the bottom platform.

Without thinking, I climbed over the fence and dropped down to the bottom platform. I landed on the platform just as the train was slowing down. I had made it.

Do not *ever* try this. It's what I would call stupid.

Dream #2:
I was about to enter one of the subway stations when I realized that I didn't have any tokens and only the blue line seemed to take the passes that I had. As I backed away from the turnstile I looked around for the guy who sells the tokens. Nowhere to be found. I looked around some more and noticed that another entryway did accept my pass. Score.

The funny thing is that the slot for the pass was above the doorway. Since I have crazy hops, I was able to get it in on the first try. I passed through.

As I was walking in, I started wondering whether I needed to get the pass back. When I used the pass before the turnstiles would always give me that pass back even though it didn't have any value left. As I was pondering, I noticed a beep coming from the door. I turned around and saw a light flashing and I knew that I needed to go back and get it.

However, someone else saw this and started running for it. I gave chase. We got there at the same time and jumped up to snatch the pass. Like a going up for a rebound or jump ball in basketball...

I managed to get the pass even though the other guy was much taller than I was. I then called him a bitch for trying to take it.

As I walked back towards the subway, I began to think that maybe something else had happened when I was caught up with trying to get my pass. I then noticed that my watch was missing.

I darted back towards the other guy.

Eventually I caught up with him at a mall where my foot speed allowed me to catch up to him and knee him in the sternum. He had my watch. That bastard.

At this time, security came along and sorted things out. I told them that it was my watch and that I could get the serial number to prove it.

My brain decided to skip the following boring part. I got my watch back and I drove to work.

On the highway, I noticed that I was behind the guy who stole my watch. He was driving a black car with a vanity plate, similar to mine. But instead of IP 88, he had his full name on there along with some numbers.... something to the effect of 7.13.1983vPAUL_IP or something really retarded. Some combination of possible birthdate, then his name, which coincidentally was also my name.

Also coincidentally, he worked in the same place as I did. Not just the same place, but one row over from where I sat. We exchanged some dirty looks....