why me???: Snow Storm

Feb 12, 2006

Sunday morning 5:53 AM, I got up with the alarm making too much of buzzing...I wished it wasnt 6 yet or I had not have to go to work today, but not all wishes are meant to come true. I got up, got ready in no time. I had to catch 6:32 bus or would have had to walk 2 miles to the transfer location to catch 7:11 AM bus to my work place. I and Ganesh started at 6:25 AM. There was too much snow everywhere. We had to drag our feet to make way through snow. It was too early for the snow trucks to have cleaned the roads, besides Cross Street is not a main road. This was first ever snowstorm for Mr. Ganesh, so obviously, I had to lead the way. It was like David leading way for Goliath (u will understand this if you see Ganesh, he is true to his name in both size and shape) We hit the main road shortly, and fortunately, the bus was on time (so I thought, it turned out to be the previous bus which was late) I boarded the bus and Ganesh went on to train station.

Bus was moving really slow. The storm was very heavy. Thankfully, there wasn’t much wind. I reached the transfer station before time as there was no usual rush of passengers at every stop. For those who might think it’s a good thing to reach before time, try standing in snow and tell me. It was going to be long wait. I mean I was prepared to wait for 20 min or so, but the bus didn’t come for quite a long time. First of all, its very bad and also stupid to stand in snow. If you are walking, your feet are warm, but standing is worst. All the people who were waiting along with me were getting volatile. Everyone was shaking legs every now and then and also striking the ground or the door of the shop behind to get snow off their shoes. For someone, who has never stood or waited in snow, it would look like a bunch of morons made to stand in a straight line. Every 5 min, I was forced to remove the snow off my jacket because it wasn’t water resistant. Little did I know how big a mistake I was making? Buses were running only in the opposite direction. I started to doubt a bit now. Everyone else was also getting pissed now. Most people waiting were Mexican guys/gals who work at Liberty AP, so it was important for them to be there on time. This is the reason that NJT062 is never late. I crossed the highway and inquired about the bus service, but there also no one had a clue. Suddenly a bus came. It was a special bus. Driver stopped only to inform that the bus service is no longer running, damn! this is so frustrating. I asked him, where he was going? He said he is going from stop to stop to inform people who might be waiting. I asked him for a ride to Penn station, but it wasn’t one of those lucky days. He said, "he ain’t going thr"..OK so I have to walk what some 2 miles to Penn station, where I can hope to get a train to Harrison (Place where I stay)

I gathered some courage and took off. Almost instantly wind also became strong...I am amazed why the destination is always against wind...it was simply horrible. Thanks to this damn Daylight saving, there was still some time to sunrise. Visibility was nearly zero. Even if there was any, it was useless as the only direction I could look to was the ground...too heavy snow was bombarding from front. The battle had begun. It was highly stupid move to have decided to go to work. I wonder how these commitment, sincerity, keeping word etc grow over me when the conditions are extreme. I remember once going to tuition at 6:30 am after returning from a trip at 3:30 am, well, that was in FE. I am supposedly more mature today so did a bigger mistake..;) Continuing with the trend of the mistakes, I decided to call the boss to let him know that I can not come. All efforts so far were in vain. Till now, I have walked for 20 min and covered may be 200 m. I called up and spoke for 5 min, and many of the mistakes I had done started paying all together. My hand started paining too much, unbearable pain. I used left hand to warm the right one and left one also joined the right one in the pain. It got only tougher to walk. I saw one guy walking in the reverse direction, I mean walking towards his back, why didn’t this strike me before? I also did the same. Walking in the middle lane of Broad Way that too in reverse direction. Awesome! This was my second experience of such a pain, last time was in my first winter when I had removed my gloves in heavy snow to take Chhavi's photograph. (Chhavi is a very beautiful girl, very good friend of mine and batch mate from Stony Brook. Also, she is married now so guys don’t run too far ahead in your imagination) so, bottom line is the pain was unbearable that time too. I really HATE repeating mistakes. I seriously thought I won’t make it to Penn station ever and I saw Market street subway station. I ran to it, while praying that the door is not closed. It was open and I got in. Hands were paining too much, gloves were wet and use less. I couldn’t grip my own hands together. I could hardly rub them; it took me quite some time before the pain reduced. So, now I was back to my senses and looked around. I was in wrong side of the station. The train to Penn station comes on the opposite side. Now, what to do? I was too scared to go out and search for the station on the opposite side of the road. Frustratingly, these subway stations in Newark city are not connected under the road. While I was thinking this all, a train came and went to Penn station. There was no way of telling till when these trains will run. What to do? I made up my mind and crossed the track, jumped over the fence separating the 2 tracks and went to the other side. If a cop had seen me, I would probably be writing this email from a prison..;) j/k..the station was deserted and the next train came in 20 min. At last moment, one dumb Spanish guy was asking me if I can help him to buy a ticket. I couldn’t have missed the train for anything. He was standing in the door and I explained the driver that he doesn’t have a ticket. She let him in and said it would be most stupid to ask for a ticket at such a time and weather, damn! I wasted 60 cents. So, we reached Penn station in no time. I mean the train and me.

Mr. Ganesh works at Penn Station part time. I went to see if he has reached safe. ohh btw, I forgot to mention that in all that rush I had twisted my ankle and was paining strongly. Ganesh was shocked to see me or to see my state perhaps. The storm was getting heavier outside the station was deserted except for some cops and some morons like me, Ganesh, shop owners and few passengers. Ganesh made a cappuccino for me. It was so nice of him. “Wo pitehi jaan mein jaan aa gayi.” I couldn’t have written that in English with my limited skills. We called up few friends and found one friend trapped in college. I suggested that he should come to Penn station and we will go together. He came in some time, and we took the PATH to Harrison, which was fortunately still running with minor difficulty reached Harrison Avenue. Now, there was only Patterson street to be walked before I will hit 400 cross street, home sweet home. Back to basics, minor roads and streets are the last ones to be cleaned. There was knee high or deep whatever they say snow on the street. I was too scared to enter. 200 m in this much snow is too much. I was standing in the middle of street thinking what I should be doing and I was brought back to real world by a big honk. It was a snow cleaning truck. I don’t remember if I was ever so much happy to see one. I ran out of way and allowed the truck to go, it cleaned most part of the street as it passed, and I simply followed the path cleared by it. I called up Srikanth (my room mate) and asked him to come out with my camera. He followed the instructions brilliantly and was all ready when I reached cross street, which was yet to be cleared. After seeing me Srikanth decided that he should also have some snaps of his. He made me wait and went up to get dressed, so much for the snap in snow. He came back in few min with his would be better half, I mean GF miss Gunjan. They clicked my snaps and I clicked theirs.