what is it about this city and rain?

I meet Susan in the west village to see Relevance, a new play at MCC Theater.

A big guy sits down next to me reeking of smoke. He then unabashedly takes over my armrest. I want to move but there's no place to go.

The play stars a great cast and tells a smart story. But I think it's a bit too preachy — too many words and not enough action.

The one-act play ends at 9;45 and I'm anxious to get home. But it's raining, and that always makes things so difficult transportation-wise.

I try to get a VIA.  It'll be $9.95 (most rides are $5-$7). That I can live with, but the wait is 19 minutes. Way too long.

(WARNING: If you don't live in NYC, you might not appreciate the frustration that follows). 

So I walk to the nearest subway, trying to shield my wound from getting wet. 

I get to the subway at West 4th Street. It's 9:54 and the trains stopped running at 9:45.  Yup. Something to do with construction.  

So my choices are to either take the subway four blocks south and change to an uptown train, or, walk 10 blocks north to go to another subway stop. I feel like I'm in that 1985 movie, After Hours, where a guy gets stuck in Soho and can't make it home.

I try VIA again. The wait is now 20 minutes and the price has gone up a $1. I walk to 14th Street.

I take the # 2 Express to 42nd Street and then plan to transfer to the #1. But an announcement says something about the #1 being delayed due to construction. Really? On a Thursday night. Who makes these stupid decisions?

So I switch to the shuttle. Get to the east side and walk to the platform for the #6 train. I wait there for 30 minutes, listening to more announcements about more trains being delayed. It's hot. It's crowded. It's after 11. And there is no train in sight. 

I leave the subway station and flag a cab. It's been so long, I honestly can't remember the last time I was in one.

And with good reason. It costs $15 to go about 2 miles. 

I get home at 11:18. 

I should have waited for the VIA.