The MBTA and I are not friends.

After a session of attempting to drive my car (I drive a manual transmission car with a springy, heavy clutch) with my injured knee this past Sunday, I decided that it would probably be better for me to go to my vaccine session at Newton-Wellesley Hospital via public transit. My knee hadn't recovered yet from the Sunday joyriding session, and it would have been more convenient for me.

7:50AM
I took the 39 bus from my apartment to Hynes Convention Center, switching to the D line after realizing I should have gotten off at Dalton Street for an easier transition. The subway stations are not injured/disabled friendly, especially with a lack of escalators and elevators. Needless to say, my knee was already swollen greatly from having to traverse the stairs down to the Hynes subway station.

8:18AM
Then, I caught a D line subway (only one cab) and had to stand about half the way to the Woodland station. The crowding was usual (rush hour time) and at least people were courteous here. I was lucky enough to grab a seat by Newton Highlands. At this point, my knee was pulling at me and warning me that any more standing would most likely be detrimental to my leg's health.

9:00AM
I finally got off at Woodland, after enduring about 1.5 hours worth of public transit. I walked two blocks to the hospital and found myself in my doctor's office about six minutes past my appointed vaccination time. Six minutes later I was admitted and the shot was administered into my left arm. I was out of the office within 10 minutes.

9:12AM
I found my way back out of the hospital to Woodland and waited for the next D line train. This time I was not so lucky, as the train I caught was crowded and full of unhappy public transit riders. I could not get a seat until the Longwood stop, and even then, I was only riding up to Copley. By now, my knee was throbbing. No one would give up a seat to an injured person. I was almost appalled at the general populace's reaction, and then I remembered that I was in Boston.

10:15AM
I was able to get off the train relatively easily at Copley, but then I had to force myself up the stairs from the bottom of Copley, as there is no other way to get out of the station. As soon as I had exited the station, however, I saw a 39 bus pull away from the stop. Alas, I couldn't run after it, so I endured some more hobbling to wait at the other side of Copley Square for it to come around. By the time I got on the one heading outbound towards Heath Street, I wanted to collapse. Midway through my ride, a crazy Black woman started cussing out a Hispanic person, screaming about how they were disturbing her peace by speaking Spanish. She ended up having a hissy fit about how they shouldn't talk in their own language outside of the home. I wanted to turn around and say something, but she had already gotten off the bus. I also probably would have gotten attacked, and I have no way of defending myself with my dead knee.

10:42AM
I finally reached my apartment and boy, am I glad to be home. Thank god my visits to the orthopedic doctor are at Tufts-NEMC.

Seriously, I don't know why the subway and buses have to be so inconvenient. Boston could have figured out a way to make the routes less . . . stupid (for a lack of better vocabulary to describe the MBTA).