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Dan kereta api pun kebablasan

Ah, dasar gila. Bagaimana mungkin kereta api bisa kebablasan dan salah jalan :p? Aneh dan bin ajaib, tapi itulah yang terjadi kemarin sore. Bukan di Indonesia, atau di negara lain yang mis-managed, tapi di United States yang konon negara adidaya itu :D

Sebenarnya kemarin adalah Sabtu yang menyenangkan. Pergi ke downtown Philadelphia, makan siang dan shopping bersama ibu dosen dan teman-temannya. Sekitar jam 5, saya buru2 pamitan karena harus mengejar kereta jam 5.25 di Suburban station, Philadelphia. Lupakan ide2 tentang dinner atau Saturday night hang-out. Perjalanan 2 jam dari downtown Phily ke Royersford dengan transportasi yang minim dan mahal menjadi kendala utama.

Tiba di stasiun sekitar jam 5 lebih dikit, saya punya cukup waktu sebelum kereta tiba. Lima menit, sepuluh menit, mulai muncul gelagat yang tidak menyenangkan. Departure status yang tadinya ontime mulai berubah menjadi 2 minutes late, 5 minutes late, dan akhirnya 8 minutes late. Ah, harusnya saya memperhitungkan faktor weekend, di mana ketepatan waktu menjadi urusan nomor 2. So people, bear it in mind, weekend transportation in such a big city like Philadelphia, or even NY, is not as reliable as you expected :).

Akhirnya kereta pun berangkat sekitar pukul 5.31, molor sekitar 6 menit. Duh, bakalan ketinggalan bis berikutnya nggak ya? Jadwal kedatangan kereta dan keberangkatan bis yang harus saya ambil hanya berselang 10 menit. Sekitar 15 - 20 menit kemudian, kereta tiba-tiba berhenti. Tak hafal dengan route, saya pikir ini hal biasa. Tapi kemudian masinis tiba2 masuk ke gerbong berkata, "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize that we missed the turn. Yes, we supposedly turn left, but the train went ahead. But don't worry, we'll go backward and continue our trip on time." Haaaah ??? Gubrak deh! @(*&%*^%##$@#$E^% Seumur hidup, baru ini ada kereta nyasar, kebablasan! Bukannya kontrol kereta di US harusnya sudah canggih ya??!! Mana bisa kereta salah jalur! Lha kalo nabrak kereta lain gimana ??!!! Seribu sumpah serapah cuma bisa saya telan. Mana mungkin bakalan ontime, sudah datangnya telat, pake kebablasan pula, dan kebablasannya nggak cuma 50 atau 100 meter, tapi rasanya cukup jauh, ada kali 1 km! Dasar moron, sudah bisa dipastikan saya bakalan ketinggalan bis!

Ternyata kesialan saya belum berhenti. Sesampainya di Norristown station, tepat seperti dugaan saya, saya ketinggalan bis dan harus menunggu bus berikutnya selama 45 menit. Waktu bis akhirnya datang, saya buru2 naik dan bertanya, "How much to go to Royersford?" Dan pak sopir menjawab, "I am sorry Miss, but I don't go all the way to Royersford. We'll finish at Phoenixville only." Mak, wajah saya langsung pucat pasi. What ??? Beberapa penumpang mengasihani saya dan menerangkan bahwa bis tidak sampai Royersford tiap Sabtu malam. Setelah beberapa kali mengecek jadwal dengan Pak Sopir, sampailah pada kesimpulan bahwa saya seharusnya mengambil bis yang sebelumnya (which I missed), karena bis tersebut sampai ke Royersford. Aaaaaaand, the next bus going to Royersford will be at 10PM, which is like 3 hours away :(( Huaaa, gimana ini. Mo nangis gak guna, mo nelpon temen nggak enak, mo naek taksi juga gak yakin (di suburban area, bisa dibilang gak ada taksi).

Akhirnya saya memutuskan untuk ikut sampai Phoenixville, sementara di jalan saya sibuk menelpon teman2 untuk mencarikan nomor2 telpon taksi di daerah itu. OK, beberapa nomer taksi ada di tangan. Ketika akhirnya saya sampai pemberhentian terakhir, saya langsung menelpon taksi, mumpung bis masih di situ. Tempatnya sepi euyyy ... Ealah, taksi-taksi yang saya telpon semua menolak mengantar ke desa terpencil bernama Royersford. Akhirnya sekali lagi dengan memelas saya bertanya kepada pak sopir, dimana saya bisa menunggu bis berikutnya. Maksud saya, di sini gelap Pak, ada tempat laen yang lebih manusiawi gak. Lalu dia menyarankan saya untuk menunggu di rumah sakit seberang jalan.

Oh well, masuklah saya ke Emergency Room, seraya mencari info taksi2 lain. Akhirnya ada satu nomor taksi yang mau mengantar ke Royersford, dengan tarif 3.25 dollar/mile. Buru2 saya mengiyakan. Akhirnya sampai juga dengan selamat di rumah, walaupun biaya membengkak dari yang seharunsya cuma 2 dollar menjadi 25 dollar. Yang penting selamat deh.

Comments

a l f i said…
huhehehehehehe asli ketawa mit!
bukan ngetawain kemalanganmu la... ;) :-* :x

itu tu, soal kereta yg salah jalan. kok bisa2nya ya. tapi untung lo, ga ada kereta lain yg musti lewat di jalur itu... :s

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