Columns, News, Opinion

SHEA: Forced entry

I feel like a complete hypocrite because I normally can’t stand people who do this sort of thing, but it has been so unbearably cold lately that I skip lines on a regular basis. To get into a building, on the T or on the bus, I have consistently been cutting other people off.

Last week, my friends and I went to Tavern in the Square. I was late as usual, and by the time they were inside, I was just arriving behind about 100 other people. Apparently one of the senior class events had just got out and everyone decided to come here afterwards.

My friends were upset because I was about a block deep in this queue of other Terriers, and it wasn’t going anywhere quickly, even at 11:30 p.m.

What’s worse is that groups of people kept cutting in front of their friends who had already been waiting for a while. Since I was waiting all alone, I was pretty anxious and decided I had to take action.

I called my friends who were inside, and we figured out a risky plan (risky because I know others who have attempted this and failed miserably). One of them came outside to the smoking area, and I joined her, pretending to be one of the smokers as well. She licked her hand and tried to smudge her stamp onto me, but it was still too faint to be believable.

But there was no turning back this time. My friend took me by the hand and confidently led me back inside and … a bouncer stopped me. They are very strict here. I told him that my stamp was faint, but that it was definitely there nonetheless. But it was a success. He asked to see my ID, as well as backup ID, and to my surprise, I got in.

I felt guilty cutting off the dozens of other people waiting in line, but my friends would have been pissed if I flaked once again, so I ordered a beer and got over it relatively quickly.

But this has come back at me in the form of bad karma twice so far this week. I had the luxury of empty Ts and buses over break, but now one has to show up at the stop about an hour in advance to get a spot.

Tuesday and Wednesday I decided to avoid the bitter cold and take the BU shuttle to work, and both times it was no use. Tuesday the bus was already too packed to fit anyone else on, and Wednesday an entire crowd of students was waiting at Harry Agganis Way, trampling one another to squeeze into the doors unfortunately to no avail.

From now on I’ll try to be a better citizen and wait my turn, but that’s difficult in an over-populated city where people use public transportation to get everywhere.

Just like it says in the Bible: no cuts, no buts, no coconuts.

 

 

Sydney L. Shea is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at slshea@bu.edu.

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