RIP Mr. Butch

Bus Departure Time: 7:02
Bus Arrival Time: 7:16
T Departure Time: 7:19
T Arrival Time: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Sunny and nice
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

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I guess some people took the day off today since the bus was pretty empty. We even stopped for everybody waiting on the route. There was a delay at Wellington for a "scheduled adjustment" for a minute or two...but the conductor woman did her best to make up for it by thanking us profusely for riding the T.

And now for my salute...even though it doesn't have to do with getting to work in the morning, I couldn't post today without typing something about this Boston icon.

As I was riding home yesterday, I got a text message from Jim Larkin that read "RIP Mr. Butch".

It took me a second for the message to sink in, but once I understood what it meant I came to the realization that yet another piece of what made Boston fun/different/ours is gone.

Mr. Butch was a fixture in Kenmore Square while I was going to school, and later on in Allston when I was living there between 2000 and 2004.

Although I didn't know him outside of a drunken conversation after a show at the Rat in the mid-90s, it was always good to see his familar face. When I moved back to Boston in '99, it was comforting to know that he still around, doing his thing.

I'll miss you, Mr. Butch. That's my salute today.

System Breaks Down

Bus Departure Time: 7:04
Bus Arrival Time: 7:22
T Departure Time: 7:25
T Arrival Time: 7:46
Weather as I call it: Hazy sun around 60 degrees
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 4
Feared for my life: No

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Is it Friday yet? You can lump that question in with "Hot enough for ya?"

The first bus didn't come, so we all hopped on the second bus. The driver of the second bus had some snide remark about the first bus driver's absence when we got on:

"She must be off having breakfast somewhere."

Ouch.

The bus was packed. The driver stopped at every stop and let people get on via the back door because the front of the bus was filled with people. The driver was a stickler for the "do not stand in front of the yellow line" rule, stating many times that she wasn't going anywhere until people stood behind the line.

I think it might have been the longest bus ride I have encountered since the job change/commute change in February.

Here's my next salute: Hats of to "Woman I Assume Works at New England Medical Center". She is always wearing light blue scrubs with matching Crocs and she always gets on at Downtown Crossing and gets off at the New England Medical Center stop.

Although I am not absolutely sure wear she works, I would be willing to bet a large sum of money..say 25 dollars...she works at New England Medical Center.

"Woman I Assume Works at New England Medical Center", I salute you!

Fire at Back Bay Station

Bus Departure Time: 6:57
Bus Arrival Time: 7:12
T Departure Time: 7:16
T Arrival Time: 7:38
Weather as I call it: Hazy sun. 60s
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: Maybe I should have?

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There was a fire truck outside of Back Bay station this morning. I wasn't sure why...but when I got into work and checked Boston.com I saw this headline:

MBTA commuter trains have stopped running through Back Bay Station after what appeared to be a small debris fire started near the tracks. A T spokeswoman said the Boston Fire Department has responded, and trains should be running again as soon as the fire is extinguished.

I can tell you Orange Line had no problems going in or out of the station...and I didn't see any flames/smoke/panic/woman-and-children-first type event going on. Oh well.

Hey, it's Friday and I thought I would start saluting(I don't think I feel comfortable giving a "shout out") people I see on a regular basis on the T. I see these people so much that I recognize them and have given them nicknames in my head.

Here is my first salute: Hats off to "Stereotypical Business Suit Old Guy" He gets on the Orange Line every morning at North Station and takes it to Downtown Crossing. He wears nice suits and looks sorta like this:



I always wonder what you do, but if I were casting a movie you would play the role of the corporate higher-up...You know, "The Man".

"Stereotypical Business Suit Old Guy", I salute you.