sometimes getting there is half the fun . . .

Then again, perhaps the person who coined that phrase had never been to San Francisco.

We decided to take BART and then MUNI to the Artist's for Literacy Chapter Two CD release party. After all, it would bring us about half a block from the venue, and remembering what I do about the neighborhood, parking there is quite impossible.

We hit a little snag in traffic to Rockridge, but made up for it by snagging a great space near the BART entrance, plus the train arrived within five minutes of the platform, so all was looking well. When we exited BART though, things went downhill quickly.

This was my first MUNI experience. For those of you unaware, MUNI is the smaller electric railway/streetcar system that runs both underground and on street level throughout the City. About three years ago the system underwent a major overhaul.

The good news was that any of the five lines that pass that way would get us to where we were going. What we didn't realize is that even at 6:30pm the cars are packed! I mean packed. You almost would have thought we were in Japan or something.

As I watched the first car pass, I could feel my stress levels go higher. I kept having visions of having a major panic attack while aboard this over-stuffed train and making a big scene, probably passing out. Poor B, I thought, why does he put up with me.

Even with a car arriving every three to five minutes, there seemed to be no relief in sight. Several brave souls would push their way in. I just could bring myself to do it.

They kept making announcements about a soccer game, but you would have needed be going the other direction. Ironically, when I peered across at the cars approaching the other direction, they were no way near as full.

After almost thirty minutes I realized we were just going to have to go for it, or risk not getting there at all. Of course the next car that arrived was really way too packed, and no one got out. The driver had to try twice to close the door. By this point I was ready to almost loose it.

Fortunately the car behind it actually had some breathing room. We hopped on board and went two stops to our destination. I resisted the urge to ask "are we having fun yet?"