A Mass Transit Adventure

Originally published April 12, 2015

I have, from time to time, challenged readers to take a Ferris Bueller day and explore Chicago. I did recently, in a different way.

With tickets to see “Million Dollar Quartet,” playing in Lincoln Park at the Apollo Theater, I naturally envisioned driving from my Orland Park home, having to find parking and dining in a hip eatery.

Mom had a different idea. Instead of stealing Cameron’s rare 1961 Ferrari GT California, we would be embracing our “urban” and take public transportation. OK – I’m on “board”. Having taken trains into the city for decades — Illinois Central, Rock Island, and Southwest Line — I was no stranger to mass transit – “The Way to Really Fly” or whatever their pitch is now.

Once on board, we mapped out our next steps. Seated behind us was a very nice man who asked if we were sisters. We laughed and he said how refreshing it was to see a mother/daughter combo headed into the city together.

Later, as he was exiting the train, he said, “I wonder if you ladies could do a favor for me; you see, I have this bum leg and I get a little clumsy,” and with that, he dropped a weekend pass onto our seat. “Perhaps you could see to it that the ticket gets used!” Seriously, he just gave us a weekend train ticket. So nice — thank you, kind sir.

We got to the “L” station, and, as researched, we were taking the Brown Line to Fullerton, which would put us very near the Apollo Theater. But there were signs stating that the Brown Line was now the Red Line and that it was now a Loop (only) train due to construction. We boarded and moments later it took us around the Loop, and back to LaSalle/Van Buren. All we heard on the familiar muffled, indistinguishable loudspeaker was “Murf Brown Line, buarag hrea Red Line, with stops baodf owerh.”

CTA staff saw us return to the station and said, “I’m so sorry, ladies. You were supposed to exit the train at the next station, go down one level, cross the street, go underground, catch the underground Brown (or Red) and that (might) get you there.”

All the while, there was this young girl on the platform, ready to have a panic attack with all of the changes. CTA staff was trying to explain how to get to the Red/Brown hybrid line, but she was just not having any of it. She asked if we could help her since she was headed in about the same direction. We said we would, and she then handed us her very heavy bags. She also had a backpack and seemingly new gym shoes that my mom had to re-tie for her.

We took the train to the next stop where a very knowledgeable CTA woman told us that EITHER the RED or the BROWN would take us where we needed to go. When I checked the board, it looked like the Red was the way to go. Sara (our new friend) then said she wasn’t going to Fullerton, but further north to Howard. We crossed the street, went into the subway, and found someone to let us through, since we had bought tickets three stops ago.

We were just about out of time to catch our play. A woman sat down next to us and proceeded to open a book (signaling she was likely on the train for a longer ride). She was familiar with the construction changes. We told her we were exiting at Fullerton and asked if she would just remind our friend to stay on until the end of the line — Howard.

We made it in time to buy two glasses of champagne before the play began. Afterward, we had a lovely dinner at Riccardo Enoteca on Clark Street, and then took the bus back to the train. St. Patrick’s Day weekend revelers were LOUD and made the train ride a bit uncomfortable as the expletives flew and invitations of “meet me outside” bounced back and forth.

Next time, I think I’ll drive. Does anyone have a Ferrari for me to “borrow?” Still, a day with Mom and 11,000+ steps on my FitBit – now that’s the way to really fly!