The Pink Shoe Diaries

To anyone stuck on the Pike or Rt 128 last night, I salute you.

I am a traffic-tracker. I start checking the traffic reports on Boston.com every day starting at around 4:40 so I can kind of map out my way home. If 128 is really bad I can take the Pike...if both are bad I can take the fun Rt-9 to VFW Parkway to the Jamaica Way to Dorchester to Quincy route. But usually one or more of these routes are available to me, and I leave here thinking "It may take me 2 hours buy by God, I WILL get home".

But then there are nights like last night, when there is a two hour backup on Rt 128, a similar backup on the Pike and I can't find the directions for that Rt-9 to Dorchester way because Mapquest decided not to offer them anymore (Word to the wise, Mapquest: people who are trying to get from North of Boston to South of Boston and are clicking on "avoid major highways" generally don't want to drive through downtown Boston at rush hour.) And last night I was just mentally unprepared for a 2+hour commute. I know as a car commuter my lot in life is to have shitty long rides home some nights, but sometimes I just can't muster the wherewithal to do it. I would seriously rather sit in my office for an hour, playing Text Twist, waiting it out.

Or of course, shopping.

So I hit up TJ Maxx in Newton (where I was stalked by an elderly lady who DEMANDED that i try on this blue and white sequined zebra printed shawl/top and would not let me be until I finally threw it on over my shirt, after which she muttered "Oh that's a shame..I thoughtthat kind of shirt would look good on anyone", but that is neither here nor there) Anyway after about an hour I figured things must have cleared so I called Adam to check the traffic report for me.

No such luck. In fact on Rt 128 traffic was WORSE than when I left. Damn you early Thanksgiving travelers. Damn you.

So I decided to cut my losses and get on the Pike. If worse came to worse I could get off in Boston, park and call one of my friends who live in the city demanding they meet me for a drink somwhere stat.

It wasn't THAT bad. But it wasn't THAT good either. Put it this way: I left Newton at 6 and didn't get home until almost 8. Stopping only to buy a big old bottle of Pinot on the way home because hell I had earned it.

You won this time, Boston area highways. But I am leaving early today. As early as I have to to get home in 40 minutes or less. I have earned it.