The CCT & I, we are both afflicted

My family has it's own language, mainly stemming from the crazy stuff my Dad says, but sometimes, people get confused by what I say.  One thing my Dad likes to say, though, is that people (or me a lot of the time) get inflicted with a case of the dumbass.  We often just shorten it to say that someone's afflicted.  Today, I got a severe case of the affliction.

I got up this morning, made my coffee, and got to the station with in time for my train.  Score! It's a beautiful, crisp, fall morning and I'm reading Push, which, if  you're unaware, is the novel the movie Precious is based on.  It's an engrossing book.  Seamless transfer at Five Points (except for the idiots who won't let me off the train ahem AC) and the morning is good.  Get on the Northbound, some dude is trying to talk to me about my book.  I don't hear well, especially when it's loud, like on the train, and this man is mumbling and I'm trying to read.  But he gets off, leaves me alone, and I'm back to my book.  Did I mention that it's engrossing?

Train stops, I get off.  Go up the escalator, look around, and well, shit.  I know this station, I'm here a lot, and it ain't Arts Center.  It's Midtown.  What was I thinking?  So back down the escalator, it's 8:00 with the next Northbound train coming in four minutes.  My bus leaves at 8:05.

I get to Arts Center at 8:07, and of course, there's no 10b.  But I know my CCT by now, so I can get the 10 to CTC and hop on the 50 to the office.  No worries, keep reading.  Get to the CTC, look around, of course the 10b is no where in sight, so I go to the little shelter to read my book and wait on the 50.  Did I mention the crisp, fall morning?  If I knew I was going to be hanging out at the bus stop, I would have dressed warmer.  This evening is going to be fun, why wasn't I thinking?

So I wait.  And I wait.  Hey, there's a tiny MARTA sign now down by the shelter the 12 picks up at.  (Did I miss that before?  It is tiny.  I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have missed it, I did look nearly every time I was at the CTC for One, but I have to go up and inspect it to see if it's been weathered.  Can't tell, looks new, but as already been vandalized.  Of course, that could have happened the hour it was put  up).  And I wait.  Finish my book, and I am freezing, my poor toes are so cold!  What the heck?  So I walk down to the schedule and the 50 is supposed to be there at 8:53.

Guess when it comes?  I see it turn into the mall at 9:17.  By the time it gets to us and pulls out, the next 50 is pulling in behind it.  The 50 runs every half an hour, so guess how late that makes the bus?  Yup, half an hour! (You kids are so smart!)  This means that I got to the office at 9:35, over half an hour late.  Thanks CCT!

PS - CCT, while we're at it, all the nice things I said about Eric, the bus driver Monday night, I take back.  So I've been on the phone with the lady at CCT who is in charge of refunds, I can't understand her name, sorry, and she's not too optimistic.  She says she has no record of me being on that bus and no form from the bus driver, Eric.  So therefore, she has to investigate it to prove I lost my money.  And she said it could take 4 to 6 weeks.  So in two months, I may get my money back.  CCT - I am not pleased at all.

But what the hey, if this crap didn't happen, what would I need a blog for, anyways?