Pickering shenanigans

Submitted by Olivia via email (cj@thiscrazytrain.com)

I wanted to mention what happened this morning on the Pickering 7:21 Express (that instead left at 7:26).

My husband, friend, and I, got on the first coach and sat in a 4-seater. An older gentleman with ear buds was the only other person sitting there. We started to chat - not in that annoying loud and laughing Monday morning sort of way, more like a "so my daughter got a train set this weekend" sort of way - and the gentleman proceeded to look at us, get up and went to stand by the door.

Ok, we figure maybe he is not too much of a morning person? Then he moves from his spot guarding the door and goes to sit elsewhere. Ok. Now I'm getting offended. I make a comment about presuming to be too loud and my friend puts her yoga mat in the place he once occupied.

We continue our conversation - again at courteous Go-train-Monday-morning-level - and the lady across from us makes a point of huffing and puffing and covering herself with her Barney purple wrap and turning away from us. We look at each other, shrug and continue our conversation about why my friend did not take her one year old to the zoo on Saturday.

Well our new not-so-happy-Monday-am commuter companion continues with her hemming and hawing and proceeds to get up and join our old companion (who has now re-taken up his post at the door). At this time, we have passed Danforth and we decide we may as well get up and stand at the door on the opposite end as well. Our two new friends decide to converse about our "rudeness(?)" and look and point at us. I wave.

We get to Union "on time" (read: 5 mins late but still within Go's timing guidelines - but that's another story) and don't get pointed at or given any more dirty looks - til tomorrow perhaps?

I just don't get it? Yes, I have felt the need to sleep on the Go train before but have never been offended by a simple conversation across the way from me. I mean, not everyone has had a bad nite's sleep and decides to sleep it off en route to Union.

We are not some hooligans or trouble makers, we just wanted to chat about the weekend. SO SUE US!