Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Subway Ad-Antics


I was reading on the subway ride home yesterday evening, minding my own business, when I heard this clattering sound behind me, followed by some snickering and someone stage-whispering, "Shh! Don't tell anyone!"

I turned around and didn't really notice anything, so I turned around again. A moment later, I hear some talking and the same voice saying, "Shh! Don't tell anyone!"

So I turn around and this time hold my gaze, only to see the owner of the voice rolling up one of the overhead subway ads he and his buddies filched from its casing, and putting it in his bag. I looked right at him, and he again said, "Shh! Don't tell anyone!" putting his finger to his lips in a joking manner.

I shook my head and turned around, trying to immerse myself in my book.

The subway pulled into the next stop, and the ad thief and his cronies get off the train and proceeded to go into the next car. I turn to two girls beside me, who also saw this and asked, "Are they just going into the next car to steal more ads?"

"Looks like it," the one sitting next to me said.

"All right," I replied with my if-you-say-so, sing-song tone.

Just then, the driver announced on the P.A. system, "Would the person who took the ad please leave the train immediately."

I could just see the thief and his friends scamper past our train car. Some of us started smirking and snickering.

And a moment later: "Give that back, you MORONS!"

6 comments:

AquariusDragon said...

LOL! That's awesome! Gotta love the TTC workers! They've got great senses of humour! I just remember one experience I had on the TTC - the Don Mills/Sheppard line... anyway, the person doing the announcements before the next stop was hilarious! Pretty much singing the name of the stop! It was great! Everyone on the train was laughing! It was kind of like a bonding experience with a stranger because of the TTC worker singing the name of the next stop into the mic!

D.C. said...

I KNOW! I've heard all about that guy ... I don't think I've ever had him, but he's apparently legend!

Anonymous said...

Aah yes the singing announcer I have been on his train too Mel & Di! Particularly liked it when he sang Spadina, made it sound like a West End Musical!

No doubt the law will catch up with the ad thieves I hope there was CCTV on that subway station!

AquariusDragon said...

No! It was a woman who was singing the name's of the stops. It went something like this: "Doooooon Miiills, Don Mills." Also, Mike tells me that it was the Yonge Street line.

AquariusDragon said...

Bee: You English and all your CCTV.

D.C. said...

No, it's definitely a dude. He makes up a song for each stop. One of the local shows at my company tried to get an interview with him a couple years ago, but he declined.