TTC travels

Last Friday, I trekked into Toronto for a TV Broadcast assignment. The TTC is just a whole 'nother level of transit insanity. I should definitely use it more often.
While getting onto a streetcar at Union Station, a class-load of small children got off the vehicle. What crazy teacher thinks "Hm.. I'm going to put the bajillions of small people I look after on a busy streetcar in downtown Toronto. Great idea!"
I would jump off a roof if someone tried to involve me in a plan like that. It doesn't help that young kids are often about as crazy and easy to distract as five hyperactive chihuahuas. And these children weren't even on leashes! In downtown Toronto! Surrounded by people and big, shiny lights!
The moral of this story is that elementary school teachers should be required to undergo psychological testing.

On the subway home, a man came up to my project partner and me. I had seen him approaching others on the subway car, so I knew what he was up to. He had messy dreadlocks, a visibly dirty hoody and a dazed look on his face. I didn't even dare look at his pants or shoes.
He held out a cup and said something to the extent of "Yo, you have change?" Of course, we didn't. I don't mind helping homeless people, but I don't even have a job right now and I'd rather help a charity that will help them for me instead.
This man looked off, but his smell was also hard to bear. There is no exaggeration here when I say the man smelled like he had never even seen a shower on TV, let alone set foot in one. As my partner put it "Oh my God. He smells like 5000 armpits."
Fine. Block your nose for a minute and move on. Nope.
He went to the man across the aisle and asked him the same question. Some change was dropped into the cup. What happens next? The man asked for $50 to get to Ottawa... Uh... What?
I will take you to a store, buy you a bar of soap and pay for you to get into a public pool shower room. Let's do this thing.
After he walked back to the other side of the subway car, his stench lingered. It stayed in the air for THE ENTIRE RIDE BACK. We got off at least four or five stops after this man approached us and he exited a few stops before we did. When I think about it, the smell comes back to my nose. It was one of those horrific, life-changing experiences that will never go away. I shall forever be haunted.