Unfaithful

I never thought I'd do it. I never thought I'd stoop low enough to rationalize it. But today, I almost cheated. I almost cheated on the 42.

I was running late. It's become my m.o., unfortunately. I waited at my stop, stared at a few people (unbeknownst to them of course), read the top fold of the Post through the dispenser, fiddled with my "Recently Added" playlist and got my $1.25 ready. Finally, at long last, a bus appeared in the distance. Through the hazy sunshine, I saw its top approach. As it got closer, I realized it wasn't my beloved 42. It was a ... wait for it... H1.

I'm familiar with the H1. It's a rush hour bus with a limited schedule. Not as popular as the 42. of course. Believe it or not, it used to be my "bus of choice" back in the day when I worked a few blocks over. But today, it seemed like a scandal.

Do I board, I thought? Do I cheat on the 42 and abandon stability for a single morning? I didn't consciously want to do it, but it was so tempting. The H1 is actually a little faster (because it avoids the Circle), it's aesthetically pleasing, and, let's be honest, it gets the job done. Thoughts of the past filled my head. Never once did I want for a seat. So comfortable. So secure. And all those special mornings, when it came right on time...

But just when I was about to abandon my morals and step up into that bus, I thought, no. The 42 is probably right around the corner. Wait for it.

So I did. And you know what? I got to work exactly on time.