Scene and heard

I commute against the crowd. I live in Brooklyn and work in Jersey City. I have to take the R train to Rector Street, because Cortland Street, the World Trade Center stop is still closed for reconstruction. It was closed in August or September of last year and was supposed to re-open in April. But without explanation, it is now due to open in the Spring of 2007 – a 150% overrun. Not bad!

Anyway, back to my little gripe! When I am going down the stairs into the PATH station, I am going against waves of New Jersey residents who work in New York. Some have the cheek to give me funny looks, because I am in their way. At the Pavonia/Newport station, I will be at the top of the stairs, the tell tale ding dong signalling the closing doors of the train is dissipating in the distance, replaced by the sound of the train departing, and 15 people make a mad dash for the stairs to try and catch it. This is a madness repeated all over New York and the PATH system and frankly, I don’t get it. Can someone please explain it to me?