Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Tunnelspirit

I had to work on Saturday and, as you know, take the Metro again to get there.

Half way through, we were stucked in a tunnel because the electricity was off. This happens from time to time and leaves you sitting there in the tunnel, wondering if you have to get out and make your way back to the station on the rails. Very appealing.

After 3 minutes (which is long when you are stucked) the conductor gave lengthy explanations about what was going on over the loudspeakers. Which we could not understand because of the accordion-player.

He had entered the waggon one stop before and was now loudly playing tunes which seemed to have no structure at all and which mixed with other, more worrying screeching noises. And I/we desperately wanted to know what was going on. The man was unimpressed and continued his cacophonic symphony. Torture.

After a time, the metro went on and stopped again after seconds. I discovered that only the last wagon, (my wagon!) had been in the tunnel for 10 minutes, the rest of the waggons were already positioned at the platform in the next regular stop... !


Then I draw this:



It's all about being stucked. There is a lot to say about this. I'll have to think about it...




4 comments:

patti said...

Mmmm, being stuck in a tunnel is kind of scary. But if the tunnel spririt is a friendly one, it can be a time for self discovery.

I love hearing about your experiences on the metro. Great for 'people watching'.

sukipoet said...

What a fascinating experience. I know it was scary but it is also almost surreal. Could be made into an interesting piece of writing either fiction or non-fiction. The irony of only your car being in the dark of the tunnel. That off-key musician.

Off the topic but do you know the German painter Paula Modersohn-Becker from Worpswede in the 1920's? She died young after childbirth and many of her paintings were portraits. I love her work and also love finding obscure (at least in this country, maybe she's well known in Germany) artists.

Elizabeth said...

Oh poor you, what torture! So close and yet so far! Arrgghhhh!

sukipoet said...

I found Paula Modersoh-Becker via a calendar I bought many years ago featuring women's art. One of her paintings was depicted. From there I looked up a # of books both about her life and showing her paintings. Most I got thru the library, but I own a book of her letters and life story.