Best Breeze in LA

I was sitting at the Sunset/Vermont red line station thinking about crazy earthquake survival scenarios earlier today. You know, going over in my mind where the best, the “safest”, cover would be. I was under one of the escalators leaning comfortably on those silver bars and decided I was probably pretty well off. If things started rumbling, if things started tumbling, I was sure the silver frame of the escalator would stay in tact, protecting me from ultimate doom. Then I thought about the escalator I just passed when I was descending to the platform, which was broke down and re-thought my stance. The escalators would be the first to go!

So I decided to stroll a bit, head closer to the elevator, wander around the platform, look up, down, all around. Really breaking down my surroundings. Would the panels above, the large blue and silver steel cheese grates, slice through the air? And if so, would I be able to dodge each one like the ninjas in my little brother’s movies he gets every Christmas? Then as if to kick me in the head to joggle some logic, I tripped on my own feet. Nope, I’d definitely get clobbered.  So I admitted defeat and took my post back under the escalator.

That’s when it hit me. Not a giant piece of steel or a falling escalator shaft, but the best damn breeze in all of LA. The train was still ten seconds from sight, but that didn’t stop that sweeping air of arrival. And at that point all the insanity of earthquakes and steel’s blistering and breaking disappeared. I even forgot about the amount of money it was going to cost me to fix my computer. All that was left was that wonderful breeze.

I closed my eyes to let it consume me and when I opened them I noticed the girl to my left doing the same; relishing in the same rushing air. And past her another and another and another. We all sat there in the calm intensity of the oncoming train and let nothing else come over us.

But then it arrived. Then the doors opened. Then the crowds pushed. And it was all forgotten ‘til next time.