I had the misfortune of being on the subway this afternoon when a man had an epileptic fit (I don't think we're allowed to call them fits anymore, but... whatever). Taking the TTC every day, it seems that there's always an emergency to hold the train up, and frankly it irritates the crap out of me. But what can you do, right? Anyway, this guy keeles over, someone hits that cursed passenger alarm, and husband and I vacate at the station, figuring it would be better to walk the last mile back to our place than sit on a train full of cranky post-Santa-Claus-parade kids. (before anyone mentions that I should have stayed to help, let me remind you that the entirety of my medical training is palliative - probably not what anyone would have wanted at that moment)

We walked past the flailing man and out of the subway car. As we left the platform, I finally saw a train conductor (or whatever these TTC fatboys are called) sauntering at his usual union-mandated pace, out of his compartment and down the platform to the car with the sick passenger. I would have thought he'd have a little spring in his step, considering that the Passenger Emergency Alarm is for, ya know, emergencies.

Up on the exit level, we saw what must have been the highest ranking individual at the station - this one had the burgundy parka and the cap. And a walkie-talkie - yup, that's management material if I ever saw it! This man was also taking time to stop and smell the roses as he made his way down to platform level to see what he could do to "help".

Mr. Right and I had walked easily twenty minutes toward home before we could hear the distant sounds of an ambulance siren. It's possible that at that point, a morgue van would have been more appropriate.

Many rush hours I have cursed people for pulling that damn alarm - how dare you get sick when I'm trying to get to/from work??? And the delay is always so excessive, you would think the whole station was under biological quarantine or something. But now I know. I've seen it first hand. It's the snails pace of disinterested Toronto Transit Commission employees.