B Not So Bad

You know, people (myself included) give the B line a bad rap. But now that I've taken it to and from work for a week, I have to admit: I'm changing how I feel about this dreaded line of the MBTA. Sure, maybe it's because I get on at the very beginning, way out at Boston College, and I get a seat every day (actually, I've gotten the exact same seat every day). But the fact is, I get on the train at 8 a.m., get out a magazine, and less than 45 minutes later I'm at Park Street. Total time, door-to-door: less than an hour. Of course, this changes if I'm out at 8:10, and it means the train ride takes closer to an hour. But the fact is, for me, the ride is a smooth and enjoyable one. Not getting on somewhere further on down the line means I don't have to squeeze in and find room to stand. I'm actually quite comfortable, and I don't even notice how crowded the train is or where we are until we're somewhere around Packard's Corner. Heck, I didn't even notice all week that the block I used to live on (around 1322 Comm Ave) is now totally different. I know some stops have been eliminated in the first half of the route over the past few years, and I'm telling you: this train moves a lot faster than it did when I last took it regularly, in 2001. A lot. The weirdest part of the whole thing is that now I get to work much (for me, at least) earlier than when I used to live closer to the office. It's a little disorienting. And I also know that if I'm on the way home and a B train comes that's too crowded, all I have to do is take a D line train and transfer at Reservoir/Chestnut Hill Ave. It's just that simple.

The commute was my biggest concern about buying a condo so far out of the city, but so far, it's a non-issue for me. So, at least for now, you won't hear me complaining about the T. Nice.