Gomer Pyle vs. Trimet; Surprise, Surprise!

in 1907 the Navy started showing up in Portland for the Rose Festival proceedings. It has been a regular feature since 1924.

So for nearly 9 decades, the arrival and departure of naval ships in Portland on or about the first or second week of June has been a regular occurrence.

It was so regular, my Grandmother used to run out and sit on the bridge holding my Mom as it was raised and lowered. (We were a more tolerant society back then).

It was so regular the phrase, "As regular as the bridges in Portland raising and lowering for the Navy" was the slogan used to sell laxatives.

It was so regular....eeeeeewwwww. Did he just make up a laxative slogan? He did? Nasty.

Well, the departure of the navy ships still managed to Gomer Pyle* Trimet officials.

See, I was taking the Max to work. Why, you ask? For the time savings?

I mean, sure, I can leave the house at 6:30 and get to work with 20 minutes to spare when I drive, whereas taking the Max means leaving the house about 5:15 to get there with 5 minutes to spare.

Well then maybe for the less stress.

Unless, of course, they did not realize the bridges...which went up when the ships CAME to town a week ago...would need to go up for the ships to leave. This surprise meant they did not know how long their trains would be delayed.

So they had us all get off the trains, take buses along an alternate route to get on the Max on the other side of the river.

The problem being...the train we needed to get on ALSO needed to cross the bridge...so we pretty much could have just stayed on board, not had to cross the river, walk two blocks in the rain, and rush to all reboard the same train we just left, only now wondering if we would be on time to meet our next connection...

So if I was trying to save time or stress, I failed miserably.

But I did get to see my tax-dollars in action.

So open memo to Trimet; next June, and you might want to mark this on your calendars, the Navy ships will arrive, necessitating adjusting your schedule so the bridge can be raised to allow them to pass.

Oh...they will also be LEAVING, so you will need to adjust your schedule...TWICE. Just sayin'


* Gomer Pyle: to "surprise, surprise" someone who should in no way, shape or form be in the remotest danger of being surprised.