Train Rain Roach Turmoil

The storm was fierce.

The rains were blankets, waves, torrents, deadening on the city streets at approximately 6:25 pm this Sunday evening in the big city.

My Boltbus pulled up to the curb at Penn Station, and nearly everyone remained in their seats as the height of the storm came as the doors opened. Having spent 40 minutes more than anyone intended on the bus, it was at once incomprehensible and completely understandable why the movement off the bus and into the rivers of street grime stalled. I zipped up, gathered my bags, and filed off the bus. Darting to the ACE line entrance, I found water rushing over my flipflops and refugees huddled at every opening, peering expectantly up at the street and darkening skies.

The E line seemed to be the only one running. I got up on the platform to find the flow of humans nearly as sweeping as the water flooding down the train tracks below. Humans and refuse alike were forced down the platform and down the tracks. Gurgling grates on the platform bubbled, oozed, seethed with brown water, roaches, and crickets. In controlled but nevertheless feral rivulets, they spread across the walkway. Following the currents, I stepped around the roach fountain as I pushed on.

I looked down the track, but I heard the waterfalls before I could see them. Scouring the downtown E train side across the tracks, I found the source of the piling water sounds. A 15-foot stretch of ceiling had been penetrated by the waters. A waterfall had appeared over a stretch of the platform. People stood adjacent to the falls, waiting for the train.

My E train came within five minutes, and I switched at Port Authority. Not knowing the state of the storm, I preferred to remain underground, taking my chances with the underground roaches and rivers. I used the underground tunnels to get over to Times Square and onto an express #3 train uptown to Columbia's campus. I was lucky all things considered. It took 30 minutes to get from the Boltbus uptown to school and home. I had heard recently that the city simply shut down underground when it rained, and I certainly could see why with the old underground tunnel failings. Just glad my dance with the roaches was brief and at arm's length.