Baltimore Metro

Ahhh...there are so many things I love about Baltimore. I love the famous Inner Harbor, Vaccaro's in Little Italy, waving at the Duck Tour as I walk to work, admiring the one-of-a-kind homes in Roland Park, and watching Broadway shows at the Hippodrome...

...secretly, I enjoy walking behind Baltimoreans as they purposely clear their throat and lunge their smokey luggies onto the pavement. And who could not love walking down the streets of Baltimore and square-dance around the remains of chicken wings whose meat has been sucked clean off the bone. Oh! And one can capture on film, honest-to-goodness hair extentions that are randomly scattered like tumbleweeds througout the streets of Baltimore...

Today, I rode the Baltimore Metro into the city instead of driving. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea. It was unusally crowded, hot and humid, with several delays that made everyone upset. Among disgruntled subway riders, I overheard a very loud conversation between an African-American female from Baltimore City(BC) and a female Jewish Owings Mills suburbanite about being late for work:

BC resident says outloud: "Come on, now...we all have to get to work!"
Suburbanite relates: "Really...we all have mortages to pay. "
BC resident say: "Look at those kids, they can't even get in the subway car because it's SO at crowded! "
Suburbanite sticks out her neck: "Well, it's not my fault. "

Oh, oh...at this point I stop reading my book and listen closely to this conversation. Was I about to be a witness to a early-morning subway brawl? All I wanted to do is just make it to class on time!

Fortunately, I was wrong...the BC resident and suburbanite relate on some level about Baltimore politics and who to complain about the subway being too crowded. Relieved, I continue reading my book. Then...

BC resident says: "I'm already 45 minutes late for work!"
Suburbanite agrees: "Yup!"
BC resident offers this piece of interesting information: "And, I'm really gonna get in trouble because I'm already on probation!"

Hmmm...the suburbanite should have just stopped there.

Suburbanite TRIES to relate: "And it doesn't matter what you tell your boss. All they see is "Probation" written all over you and hold that against you. Nothing else matters to them. "

Yikes.....I swallow hard. Did she just say that? Did she just assume that this woman was on probation from jail?

BC resident wearily clarifies: "I'm on probation with work. "

Sheesh...I'm glad for once that was not me.