One missed connection...

Makes all the difference.

Last Friday, I had left work an hour or so early and had an errand to run in Logan Circle. As I walked into the Metro station, these were the thoughts in my head:

"Do I need to put money on my card? The next train is in 3 minutes. I have time. No, wait, I have plenty of money on my card, at least enough to get me to Farragut. Oh, $&*%, there's a train there now I could get on. The next one comes in 2 minutes now. I'll wait."

Stupidest decision ever. 

I catch the next train and go the 7 minute ride to Farragut North. I walk the 13 minutes to Logan Circle at 14th Street, run my errand. It takes about 15 minutes. I walk back to the Farragut North station. All the while, while I'm walking, my feet are burning. I'm wearing new-ish flats, but I they've broken in enough that they aren't rubbing on my heels anymore. But for some reason the bottom of my feet are literally burning. So that slows down my pace. 

At this point, I make the decision to continue onto Shady Grove, vs. taking the 10 minute ride back in the opposite direction to Union Station. That would just be back tracking.

I check, the train I need to catch in Rockville, I think, is at 5:39. It's just after 5pm as I get on the Metro at Farragut. I'm definitely going to cut it close. I realize after I get on the train and the doors close that I'm on a Grosvenor/Strathmore train. This means I have to get off and wait for the next train at Strathmore. At the station, we thankfully only have to wait 2 minutes for the next train. It is currently 5:35-ish. I'm thinking...it's a loss. I'll never go 3 stops, and cross over to the MARC platform from the Metro, in the next 5 minutes.

Then I double-check -- the train doesn't leave until 5:49 -- I'm saved!! I have the time. It will still be close and I can get there in 10 minutes. I will have to run, but by golly, I can do this. 

As the train lets people off at Twinbrook, one stop away from Rockville, I see the MARC train whiz by. Gaaaah! My heart races. I still have at least 3 minutes until the train leaves. 

We pull up at Rockville and I sprint out the Metro car to the escalator. I try not to mow too many people over, but as I get onto the escalator, I move to the left, only to get slowed down by a completely average person, going a completely average pace.

WHAT?!?! EVERYONE SHOULD BE RUNNING. THIS IS HOW RUSH HOUR WORKS!

As soon as I get past her at the bottom of the escalator, I sprint and, admittedly, rudely, cut in front of a gentleman at the turn stalls. And of course, wouldn't my SmarTrip card pick that moment not to be recognized by the reader. Gah.

I finally make it through and I hear people say "Look out!". The train whistle blows, so I haul my big butt up the stairs two at a time, see two people on the platform telling the guy "One more!" and as I reach the top of the stairs, the train is moving, the conductor is shaking his head and giving me the "Oh, so sorry" look. 

Alas, I am out of breath, and now have to wait 21 minutes for the next one. I thank the kind people who tried to get the train to wait, and then I sit. I do my crossword and thankfully it's just my my husband having to wait a bit longer at the restaurant and he kindly asks me if I want a beer when I arrive. 

That, my friends makes the burning feet and all the out-of-breath-ness worth it. Next time though, I'll run for the first train to not have to run for all the rest.