MARTA is the rail system in Atlanta and “Marta’s smarta” is (or was) a slogan used to encourage ridership. The system is not that extensive, but it does make sense to use it to go games, the airport and some other venues, especially if you can just use the train. Anyway, there is something called MARTA Mobility Services offered to disabled peeps who cannot use the regular MARTA system. If approved, the rider can schedule a pickup to go wherever they need and then you will also get dropped back home. I’ve known about this service for a few years, but I always assumed that I didn’t qualify because, truth be told I CAN use the regular rail system. The other day I decided, “you know what? Let them, the experts make that decision.” I also have a number of therapy sessions coming up (that I’ll tell u about soon) and I will avoid the Lyft/Uber hassles. I applied. The application process involves a section completed by me, a section completed by my doctor (I won’t get into the incompetence I experienced with that) and an in-person interview with MARTA folk. They offer a complementary ride to the interview (nice surprise to me), so I scheduled mine for 2:30 yesterday because, well work, and I always need to be mindful of days off etc and I already had a half day scheduled. My managers are flexible but I never want it to seem like I am taking advantage. The lady told me my pickup time was going to be 1:17 (okay…specific much? lol). I was ready…
I probably could have used the fact that they were late as some kind of premonition for what was to come but I didn’t pay that any mind. It was Atlanta around lunchtime so who knows what kind of traffic was on the road. I had given the scheduler my gate code and building number, as I do everyone who is coming over for the first time so when the gate rang, I went outside expecting to see the MARTA truck but…nothing! I rolled around a little, looking everywhere I could think of but still…no MARTA truck. I decided to stay put because hopefully I would see one at some point, even if it was on its way out (I am close to the exit gate) because the driver couldn’t find me. Just as I was about to make a phone call, I saw it approaching my building. Turns out that the driver didn’t look at the pickup location properly and was waiting somewhere else for me. She pulled up (I thought she was kinda in the road but…), got out and was about to lower the ramp for me to roll on in and we hear “BAM!“. The “funny” thing about this was that I saw the Fedex truck approaching and thought, “hope he can get by”. Don’t you know that saddist hit the MARTA vehicle and just kept on going. UGH!!
So of course, the protocol is that the driver had to call it in and then wait for a supervisor to get there before we could leave. It wasn’t 1:17…by the time she’d gotten to me it was close to 2:00. By the time the supervisor got there and I’d called the office where I was headed for the interview, it was almost 2:45. They told me that I had to reschedule and it was at that point, that I got pissed off especially when I remembered that I really dislike FedEx because in my opinion, it is the absolute WORST delivery service (and that was before the accident). STEUPS!!!
I rescheduled to Friday morning but I still need to reschedule therapy that was supposed to start at that time. This way though, I won’t need to do anything w.r.t. time off at work because I’m already off 4 or 5 half days for therapy. Hopefully Friday’s session can be pushed to the last week of the year when I am actually on vacation – guess I won’t be going anywhere for Christmas. UGH!
The entire situation was annoying, but it was totally out of my control. Wish that I hadn’t taken a couple hours for nothing but wha yuh go do.
hol’ it down, Stax