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Thursday, November 24, 2011

What a gong show that was ...

I have to admit, it's been over 18 years since I've taken a TTC ride north of Queen on the Yonge line.

The hell?

One word. Sardines.

I had a conference today. I journeyed up from Union to North York Centre and left at around 5pm, so just at the start of the clusterf*ck rush hour. By the time the train left York Mills, the train, one of those new, motorhome-wide Bombardier models, was P-A-C-K-E-D.

I was seated in one of the 3-seater jump seats. The ones with a sign that says small babies will be catapulted off of. A woman is standing right beside me and almost over top of me. Like this:

Am I setting the scene now? Good. I had snapped the photo so I could show how tight it was on the train and how people were almost on top of me. But then things took a different turn.

She's chewing gum. She's snapping it. She's chomping it. She's blowing bubbles.

Well girlie blew a little too hard because this is what happened next:

This is my chest and me taking a photo of my chest where her orange-coloured gum landed on my scarf. Because I know, if I didn't, few would believe me that this woman launched her gum clear out of her mouth and onto me.

What happened next? Settle down. I didn't go for a bag beatdown although it did cross my mind but how could I? Oh, how soon y'all forget. The nail incident?

She saw me take the photo which I know totally threw her for a loop. Yeah, Imma submit this to CityNews Viewer News. Top story.

She made no effort to retrieve her gum. I had to ask her. She reached down quickly, snagged it and held it between her fingers.

Look, I felt for her but really? No apology? When the train pulled into Bloor, she bolted.

16 comments:

skin Man said...

Reminds me of my first content I provided to you, the gum chewing donkey who consumed three different pieces on his way home in the most conspicuous manner. I think you even graced the post with a donkey blowing a bubble. singapore is on to something punishing gum chewers with the can for antisocial behaviour.

Squiggles said...

That could be why Buddy of the Nail Incident freaked out. Not the first time something like that happened. And obviously people are embarassed enough to not pick up after themselves.

Though, if it were me, I would prefer a fake nail over a wad of cud.

Anonymous said...

EWWWW

Bicky said...

I used to take the GO and then the subway up to St. Clair station. I do NOT miss those days! Subway was always full. One time this girl was groping her boyfriend pretty frantically...

Not sure how I'd react if a wad of gum fell on me. Ick.

Melanie said...

Hrmmmm, not sure I'd leave a piece of gum from some stranger's mouth on my chest while I snapped a shot. Kinda makes YOU more crazy than her, no? I mean, I like this website and I like your funny stories, but I don't believe this one... sorry!

Shirker said...

That is nuts. I can't believe she didn't say or do anything until you asked her to. Forget the bag beatdown, she deserved to get a used tissue stuffed in her mouth!

C.J. Smith said...

Hey Melanie
I know. I'm a sucker for drama. It's my belief, judging by her non-plussed reaction that she tried to pretend she didn't just do what she did because I don't think she was aware where it landed. Now I heard the "ppppfuuut" sound but it wasn't until I looked down while I was snapping photos of the crowd that I put one and one together.
Everyone was oblivious.
I also didn't make a scene but she was aware when she saw me move my phone to under my chin and then when I looked at her, I knew she knew and the rest is history.

lswgirl13 said...

That woman is a pig.

Melanie said...

Thank for the clarification, but still don't explain why you left a piece of gum on your chest that was from someone else's mouth while you took a picture. A natural reaction would be to flick it off or stand up so it falls off...not make a photo shoot of it.

Still don't believe it, sorry! :p

ExGOnowTTC said...

Might be time for me to start to write down and remember some of the things i've seen on the Take The Car. Sadly/funnily the above chewing gum incident is run of the mill these days!

C.J. Smith said...

Ew. There was no way in hell I was touching someone's wad. Thanks.

C.J. Smith said...

At ExGO, pretty please?

Dan-1 said...

Subway cars that smell like urine, crazy people talking to themselves (happens all around downtown...), couples going at it like they need to find a bathroom, packed-as-sardines subway trains where you need to wait 3 trains just to squeeze on, bustitution when an incident or power failure happens on the subway.

Just another day riding the TTC.

Anonymous said...

Talking about packed subway trains, I boarded at Union with the intention of getting off at College.

What a mistake. People just poured on at the first stop, and more at the second. A few struggled to get off at the third, at which point I panicked and flailed through the crowd in their wake.

Then the platform was so crowded, it took five minutes to get away to sweet freedom and fresh air on the surface.

Walked all the rest of the way.

April said...

I wonder if she is any relation to the gum chewer/bubble blower/gum popper that rides the 4:53 LSE every day. 50 year old woman who chews gum like she is 13.

Karen said...

I take that train every day now since moving to the city... thankfully this has yet to happen! EW.