Subway with Norm

Chatting on the subway this morning with Norm (whom I normally commute in from Aldershot station on the GO train with), I realized that this would be the last time in a while that I'd be taking the subway. I've had to take the subway the past 3 out of 5 weeks for some work-related SAP training courses at 2 Bloor, and have been enjoying the slightly different routine. Rather than walking from Union Station to my job at Peter St, I've been taking the subway from Union up to Bloor. It's a relatively short ride, but I've been enjoying it, enjoying the scenery. I think I've been enjoying it because of the influx of new sights and sounds, and of the people - whenever I have such an opportunity, I tend to try to soak it all in, store the information in the back of my mind that I might one day use in a story. This is the last week of the training, so I won't be returning to the subway. Who knows when I'll be back on it?

I think I'm going to miss that.

I'll also miss getting to see the other part of Norm's interesting morning routine that he's been doing for the past 11 years. Stopping to take a drink at the exact same water fountain on the VIA walkway at Union Station, waiting for friend Nick to arrive, where they walk together for no more than about 100 steps or so, then heading down to the subway and NOT taking the train that's there, but waiting for the second train and always standing in the exact same spot to wait. This of course is on top of his usual GO train rituals that I'm already familiar with. (We've commutted together on GO for the past three years I think)

Come to think of it, I think Norm has provided me with plenty of interesting traits and routine habits to populate a fictional character with. Maybe one day when I don't need to, I'll take the subway again with Norm, only this time, I'll take the connecting East-West train he takes at Bloor, then take the bus north with him. Maybe learn even more interesting things about his daily ritual.