Bar in Motion

I have been living in New York for 11 months now. And I have never been in such a strange situation until last night.

Yes. Last Night.

It was just, weird.

So, last night, I stayed at work until 7:00 PM and was able to rush to Penn Station to catch the 7:22 PM train back to Long Island.

Believe me, I was having one of my “O-I-Feel-Suh-Sick” days. Yes. I was feeling really sick since 10:00 AM. My stomach was acting funny, considered that I took the medication already, and my head was BUZZING like there’s no tomorrow. Well, not really hearing “BUZZ” or something like that. Just that I was having a very bad headache and experiencing dizziness at the same time. (Yes. I had breakfast, Egg & Ham Omelet, to be exact.) And I constantly have the feeling of vomiting. (Oh my, I’m gonna be a mom soon?!)

I had to stay 2 hours over time, just to finish one of the documents that my manger requested. So, there wasn’t much of a choice, but to put up and deal with it.

So, I went down to ‘dock’ #21, where the train departs.

Well, by the time I went down, the train had already arrived, and most of the seats were taken. (I usually like to sit at the spot where I can lean my shoulder against the window and nap) So, I walked from one cart to the next.

As soon as I stepped in to a cart, probably the 4th or the 5th, I noticed a big difference.

This cart is LOUD.

I mean, everyone was talking. As if, they just came out of a big company party.

Then I saw the Alcohol vender.

The alcohol vender that are commonly found on train stations is actually on the train. The vending cart is placed right between the spot where it is usually reserved for the passenger on wheelchair. This has got to be the biggest discovery since I start taking LIRR.

As I walk down the walkway, the smell of alcohol rushed up against my face. With every step I take, random words from people’s conversation knocked on my ear drums.

“And then he..”

“Totally, do you that…”

“Oh Sh*t, I “

“Ha ha ha ha…”

“Figure out how that works. But”

There were laughers… Sharp giggles… and loud voice from some drunk men.

I felt like I was the Vampire Elder Amelia, from the movie Under World, walking down the train ale in the awesome heavy dress as the Werewolves were biting people’s head off….Noise and blood all over the place. (Well, in this case, it was me walking down among the mixture of super loud chatty laughers with high level of alcohol in the air, wearing my heavy coat, carrying a plastic Duane Reade bag in my hand. Less glamorous, I’d say.)



With each step, I have to keep myself from falling on the ground.

I felt so dizzy.

I wanted to vomit so bad.

Then I spot an empty seating. I quickly moved my tired butt onto the seat and lean against the back.

Ah…..

As I regain the energy in my body, I opened my semi-opened eyes a little wider to take a better look of the environment.

I felt like I’m in some kind of lounge. People standing around the “bar,” by the doors, walking back and forth on the ale. Everyone was having a good time.

Except me.

There was a group of people, gathering around the corn opposite of the vender. They had a cardboard table (basically, someone must have opened the cardboard box what used to be a box, and use it as a table) with card on it.

Drunk people playing cards.

Great.

Men, holding onto the handles with one hand, and a cup of beer in the other. Chatting at the entrance section.

Drunk people blocking the exit.

Great.

Just coupe of seats in front of me, sat an old man.

Then a woman came.

“Hey You!” said the woman, holding a cup of some clear-looking drink.

The old man moved out and let the woman in.

I was expecting the old man to sit back down, but instead, he stood there.

Then I saw the woman’s lips moving. Follow by the old man’s lips.

Okay , they were talking. But it was so noisy, that I couldn’t figure out what they were talking about.

All of the sudden, the old man turned his back toward me, and walked to the vender.

He came back with a bottle of beer in his hand and start chatting with the woman.

Then the gentleman who sat in front of me stood up. Walked to the vender, and came back with a bottle of beer in his hand.

The Latino guy who sat behind me, got up, and went to the vender and returned with two bottles of beer in his hand. (that is when I noticed that there were two people sitting behind me, not just one)

The some-what cute guy who sat on the other side of the walk way stood up. He had 3 empty Bud Light cans in his hand. And his friend who was sitting on the window seat got up, walked out, and went to the vender. He came back with 2 cups of some yellow-ish liquid. One for him, and one for the some-what cute guy. The some-what cute guy sat back down, and placed the three 3 empty cans on the floor, next to his foot.

Then the door connected to the other cart popped open. Two men in jeans walked in and head toward the vender. They came back (where I get to see their rough-edged but HOT face) holding bottles of beers in each of their hands.

Followed by the two men, a lady in suit, probably in her mid-40s, went up to the vender and got herself a cup of some white-milky looking liquid. (Pina Colata?)

Everyone in this cart seemed to have either some mixed drink or beer in their hand.

Except me.

So, I got up, trying to maintain my balance and walked down the walk way.

I raised my head high and brush though the people who were standing on the ale.

Then I walked out of the cart. (Oh, did I mention that the train arrived my station?)

Fresh cold air filled my brain with air that I have been lusting for during the train ride.

As the train pulls away, I glanced back and saw people walking around with beer in their hand, in the carts before and after the alcohol central.

It was an interesting experience. For a sec, I thought I was dreaming…

And the most amazing thing is… No one spilled any drinks on the floor. At least, in the cart that I rode, the floor was as dry as a new sheet of toilet paper.