Catching trains

I've been living in Japan for quite a while now. I thought by this time, I would have already  gotten used to commuting on trains and running after them as well. Does it sound like track and field? Hell yes. This catching train scenarios has always been a bummer to me.

I live in a suburb area and trains comes only once every hour towards where most of my work assignments are. I have to take the same train for two weeks (10 days) each month. It isn't so bad I suppose. Since my job starts from mid afternoon, I don't get squished by the crowd of students and office workers during rush hours.

Catching trains are the worst thing living in countryside, I think. In other big cities like Tokyo I wouldn't worry about it because trains comes every two minutes. Here, if I miss my time, I should prepare to wait for another long hour. Yes, it is so annoying and there's nothing I can do but set my alarm not one less minute or better yet, set it advance. Trains comes and leaves on time perfectly timed for anyone to change tracks or catch buses. This country is pretty crazy about punctuality. I'm very punctual myself (bold and capitalized) but boy, this place could really drive me mad. Sometimes, I miss the jeepneys back in the Philippines where I can just get on and off anywhere and anytime I want.

So, here are SOME instances about my colorful and exciting experiences of catching trains.

Just recently on the way home from a long day of meeting, I was on the train for an hour. I waited and waited itching to be finally home, sip some wine and relax and then...opps.... I caught the the door closing with just my sight. Oh man, now I missed my stop. Gladly the next stop is only 7 minutes away. Coming back was also epic because I sat in a wrong train. I guess my brain got back to its real kicking world and realize to check which track was going. I was with two other seniors but they weren't able to catch it. How could they? they're about 80 years old hence they couldn't run that fast. I felt so bad.

After a tiresome job, I ran the hell out of me thinking I'm going to make it if I hurry a little bit more just to see that the train I was suppose to be getting on just close it's goddamn doors missing it for only a minute. I screamed out loud at the station drawing everyone's attention. Typical Japanese, they looked at me impassively for a second then turned their heads away. Who knows the also missed theirs?

Yearly, train's schedule changes.They could sometimes be just a minute or two but time is time. Due to my busy working schedule, I didn't realize that some of the trains schedules I take had been modified. I still wonder why they would have times at 1:59. 59??? Why not 60? Oh well. Talk to the hand. So, hear this, I ran in an attempt to be on the train I usually take but when I got there, oh! It's gone. I was catching the train that was never going to come. How nice. Oh well, I should beat myself on this one. I should check the times more frequently.

I literally would have missed it but I put my hand before the closing door. Imagine being trapped in an elevator crying for help from the outside except for this one, you're on the outside wanting to get trapped inside. Thank goodness it opened for me or else I'd have to wait for another painful hour just to be on it for 15 minutes. My heart was racing. Blood shoot up to my brain. Endorphins calmed down. I almost ran out of oxygen as I wearily slumped myself on an empty seat in an empty car. That was very close but it was no one's fault but mine. I've been laughing so hard with my students that I didn't notice the time. Who's to blame? No one, I repeat😜 so I just laugh and wait for another catching train nightmare episode.