pink/orange dilemma

there is a new "el" commuter train route called the pink line in downtown chicago that started this week. and man, this could be problematic.

today, i was late for work because of this new pink line. if you don't know how the "el" system works, i was trying to hop on the orange line that connects with the blue line that takes me to o'hare airport (where i'm working this summer). at the train stop i was at, the orange, pink, green and brown lines run throughout the day.

already running late, i waited impaitiently for an orange train to come. first came a green, then a brown...and then a lighter, brighter color appeared in the distance...it had to be an "orange"! i hopped on immediately. then i hear the automatic intercom system say "this is a pink line train to 54th and cermak" SHHHAAAAT!

this train was taking me due west out of the loop, when I was supposed to go north and east on the loop. to say the least, it took a couple more transfers to finally get to the airport that morning.

funny thing is, this wasn't my first battle with the colors pink and orange. my first "B" in school was caused by these two colors. i remember it well.

first grade. eastbrook elementary. mrs. plankenhorn. she handed out a blank picture of a teddy bear. our goal was to listen to her directions and color in the bear according to what she said.

-"color the bear's body brown." i dutifully color him brown.
-"color the bear's bow tie blue." check. blue.
-"color the bear's nose pink."

OH NO! i don't have pink. i only have the basic box of 8 crayons. i didn't have it, so i used orange instead to color in the nose. i was distraught. i didn't know what to do.

i remember getting back my picture the next day with a big, red "x" on the nose. i came home crying to my mom. it wasn't fair. i knew she said pink. i knew she said pink. but i didn't have pink, mom! my mom laughed.

from then on, i got the kick ass box of 64 crayons with the built-sharpener and 4 different shades of pink. boo-yah.