So after living in Cambridge for five months, Jupiter trine Sun day was when I decided to get my senior Charlie Card so I can stop paying $2 every time I get on a bus or train. At 3:45 I dropped Star Child off at Ahma's office and went on to Harvard Square to take the T to Copley, which is where Google Maps had told me 145 Wisconsin was. P (fellow babysitter I met at sing-along) had told me the Senior Pass place was at Back Bay Station, but knowing Boston as well as I do (she's only lived here for 20 years) I told her no, it was at Copley now and she'd said Oh well, it must have moved then.
So I get to Harvard Square to get on the T to go to Copley and this little bell starts going off in my head - why do I think I should be going to Copley when P says it's at Back Bay? Get out the letter the Transit Authority sent me when I applied for the wrong card and see that the envelope says Back Bay Station 145 Dartmouth Street and decide I'll go to Back Bay Station instead. Change at the right place - impressed with the T, color coded like the tube and easy to use once you've figured out what's inbound and what's outbound - get to Back Bay Station, go outside and start looking for #145. Relieved to see I'm right on Dartmouth and bear off left to see what's the first street number I come to. Some great big hotel, #135 or something, keep going, come to a restaurant at #120-something, realize I'm going the wrong way, make a 180 degree turn and head back to and past Back Bay Station.
First street number I find past the station is 150-something, number after that is 150-something higher. Retrace steps to the station and there appears to be no #145. Another bell goes off in head. Could it be return address on envelope says Back Bay Station 145 Dartmouth Street because the Senior Pass Office is IN Back Bay Station? Thank my lucky stars I do not have to look for work as I am obviously not capable of more than babysitting and writing plays, go back into the station, ask someone wearing an orange vest where the Senior Pass Office is, follow his outstretched arm to a sign saying Senior Pass Office with an arrow pointing to the left, slink into the office and get my pass in ten minutes.
No need to dwell on my getting to the turnstile and repeatedly putting the card in the slot, as I have every other time I've taken the T, only to have it spat out four times in a row as I wait for the gates to open as they used do. Finally notice a glowing green light next to the slot for paper tickets, third bell of the day goes off, touch new card to glowing green light, doors open, LED display tells me I have $14.40 left and am admitted to the T to take the train back to Harvard Square. Piece o'cake.
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