Was there a throw down? A show down? We won't ever know

Read that title again but read it in the tune of Let Your Backbone Slide by Maestro Fresh Wes.

Done? Good.

Here's an email from MATT

from:		MM
to:		"C.J. Smith"
date:		Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 11:14 AM
subject:		Fare jumper

Due to a cranky tot that threw one of those hard cardboard books in my face, getting me square in the eye at 4:30am this morning and keeping me up for almost two hours thereafter, I was a bit sleep deprived and didn’t wake up on time, so I had to catch a later train. I was on the 0825 Pickering-Union train, which I’ve travelled on occasionally in the past; it’s never full, and never noisy. I was sitting in the 3rd coach from the locomotive, mid-level, west end of the car, facing east. Just after Scarborough, the door to the coach behind me opened up. Because it was more than 30 seconds from when we left the most recent station (when most people are filtering through the train in search of seats/travel friends), I assumed it was a fare inspection again, as I seem to be inspected about 2-3 times/week. But then I saw a guy with a backpack walk by me, down the stairs and disappear from sight. I figured he was just passing through but there were PLENTY of seats, so this guy wasn’t going in search of somewhere to sit, and I thought that given that we were about 15 minutes from Union, this guy couldn’t possibly be trying to save some platform walking time by moving through the train NOW to be closer to his exit point at Union, as some people are want to do. 

About 2 seconds later, it all became clear, as the door behind me opens again and I hear a male voice say “This guy just took off on me”. As soon as I turned to look, I realized there WAS a fare inspection going on, but that it just hadn’t reached my coach yet. There were two GOstappo officers in hot pursuit of a fare jumper.

Part of me wanted to join the chase, because I’ve always wanted to see a soap-opera worthy fare jumping excuse, but I really didn’t care enough after being up all night.

I’m not sure where this guy thought he was going to hide... he had at least 5 minutes before we hit Danforth, and only 2.5 coaches worth of real estate to keep moving away from the enforcement officers.

I didn’t see him on the platform, so I don’t know what became of him (Did they catch him on the train? Did they force him off at Danforth? Did they simply deal with him at Union on the other platform that I wasn’t on when the train opened all doors? Did he try to hole up in the shitter and wait them out?)

I sort of wish I followed them now...