Change at Jamaica

I met up with a few old co-workers at Jakes Dilemma on 81st and Amsterdam. Just like old times I was quickly drunk and winless on the beer pong table. I got in a cab and headed to Penn Station. I made the 2:53 AM train, which required me to make the dreaded change at Jamaica. Anytime I need to change at Jamaica I get that feeling I’m going to fall asleep and end up in Babylon. I watch other people do it all the time. This particular night I was sure it was going to be my turn. My eyes were refusing to stay open.

I lucked out and woke up just in time to jump off the train at Jamaica. I walked across the platform where everyone was boarding the Long Beach train to realize that it wasn’t the Long Beach train. It was a westbound train, headed back to Penn Station. I quickly ran up the stairs and across the platform to the other side of the train only to find there was no Long Beach bound train there either. I started to look around and wonder if I had gotten off at the wrong stop. Jamaica was usually a busy station but tonight it was vacant. There was no one around anymore, no trains coming in or out. I decided there was a pretty good chance I wasn’t at Jamaica. The display on the monitor read: Long Beach 4:47. Regardless of where I was, a Long Beach bound train would be arriving in an hour. I sat down on the steps and nodded off a few times as I sent some drunk text messages.

Right on time the 4:47 train pulled into the mystery station. The doors opened and some people got off. I walked onto the train, glad to be finally resuming my trip home. I watched as the conductor dragged someone out of his seat by his arm telling him he had to get off the train. I figured he was being disruptive or puked or something. Then the conductor began walking towards me.

“This train’s not going anywhere, everyone off,” he said.

Shit….how could I have fucked this up again.

“This isn’t the train to Long Beach?” I asked the conductor.

“This is Long Beach.”