3 Things I Love About My Morning Commute

1. The Wave-Hello Guy. If you walk to BART on 16th Street around 8:30 a.m., you’re likely to pass him. He’s always smiling wide and waving hello to everyone who crosses his path. I assume he is going to Creativity Explored, but really I have no idea. He’s a white guy, probably in his late thirties, balding with a black backpack. He gets really happy if you say hello and wave back. It’s a great feeling. Today when I waved back, he gestured for a high five, and I gave him one. Maybe it was silly, but I couldn’t help smiling as I walked on.

2. The silence. I love being surrounded by people who are all in the same quiet state. There’s a sense of togetherness and peace. (Yoga might be getting to me). But really, as long as it’s not crazy-crowded like getting on a train at Church and Market, it’s nice to sit among strangers and just be quiet for little bit before the bustling of the day starts. It’s a moment of pause. Some people read, others think and daydream, and some even dose off — which to me is also a sign of feeling safe in your surroundings.

3. Running into a friend. Okay, so this one might undo the magic of the above favorite thing, but as long as you use indoor voices, or even better, whisper, it’s a sweet surprise. A bonus bit of fun in the morning. After running into Wave-Hello Man, I was thinking about posting a positive note on all the things I actually like about going to Muni in the morning, and as I started thinking about good things, I was sure other good things would present themselves…then there was my friend Christine, on the platform, running late, but lucky for me, we got to catch up, and I had the special treat of seeing a friend out of context.

Other bonus things I love about my morning commute include getting a seat, getting a Muni driver who makes seldom announcements but with a pleasant voice, the Pete’s at the Embarcadero Station, and going under the Bay Bridge in a Mission Bay train. The view of the Bay Bridge from the N is stunning in any whether at any time a day. It’s awesome to emerge from underground to that. San Francisco really is a beautiful city. High five!

-Suzanne

P.S. Just don’t try to get on a train at Church and Market in the morning.

Photo by Suzanne LaGasa