frontrunner

oh Utah... oh blessed Utah

so there is a train now that runs from Salt Lake to Ogden...it is called the FrontRunner. This is the first week it has been up and running and to celebrate this new public transportation movement, UTA has decided to let all ride for free for a week or so...so obviously we had to take advantage of riding a city train for free...it is all about the experience right?

well...so we created a wonderful idea to ride the train, pick up Chay from work, stroll the temple grounds, get a bite to eat and ride the train back home...

ok- talk about total chaos...

Don't ever say the word "free" or "clearance" or "discount" around any long term native since birth Utahan- they are out of control- simply out of control. Have I ever told you about my after Christmas clearance experience at Target? I have never seen so many angry motivated moms as they pushed and shoved their way around the aisles at Target- they would not even look at what they were buying- they would simply just take armfuls of Christmas junk and dump it into their carts..."what a bunch of hoarders" is all I could think and so I put my set of ornaments back on the shelf and left... so I am generalizing...not every Utahan spends the night in front of Old Navy the night before their annual clearance sale...but there are quite a few who I'd guess would believe shopping frugal and getting a good deal determines their worthiness...lol- ok so I am exaggerating slightly but I kid you not about the Target story...and if you want to get food on sale- you have to go to the grocery store first thing in the morning when the shelves are stocked... it is a good deal war zone out there- fight fight fight


ok so back to FrontRunner- quite impressive but the crowds were outrageous- but what was even more outrageous was the organization of the whole ordeal- they were not prepared for the big crowds of passengers- there wasn't a line for handicaps or elderly, there wasn't a limit capacity, there weren't enough workers to compensate for the overload of people and...so this is why civilizations must be governed by laws because it was just insane- people were pushing and shoving and fighting. I had a double stroller of course and the only place to put it was by the door- so before I could get it and move it when the doors open...I hear: "who in the hell left a stroller right here?" "Get the damn stroller out of the way" ....um relax please...everything will be ok. Both rides to and from Salt Lake were jammed pack...dangerously packed- not really standing room only- more like face in stranger's armpit room only.

so when we finally got back to our car- it felt so wonderful- I love cars!!! Quiet, comfortable, sitting is granted-

In the quiet car ride home I finally said how crazy people can get when something is free- like everyone felt they were all so deserving of something- and my mom then said, "all I could think about is how horrible it would be if there was free health care" it was so random and totally not what I expected to hear but oh what a good analogy mom! SCARY!

um so...say no to FrontRunner on free ride days and say no to free health care...