No 2 for you

My train this morning was held up for an “investigation of a suspicious package.” I got on the 2 at 96th Street, at 9:03. It took 10 tries for them to close the doors, then five seconds after we set out, the train came to an abrupt stop. The doors stayed closed; the loudspeaker mute. Oddly, I wasn’t concerned, and after about 5 minutes, we were underway.

At 72nd street, we stopped again, this time with the doors open. The conductor eventually announced that we were “momentarily delayed while personnel investigate a suspicious package on the train.”

What to do? Assume it’s nothing? I had a seat and a book. Wait to get blown up? When the conductor went on to suggest that “as an alternative, take the 1 local train across the platform,” I left the train. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the London Underground bombings. You never know.

But the 1 train closed its door before I could get to it, so I was left on the overheated platform, with all the other people who had left the train. Should I get back on the 2? Standing on the platform wasn’t going to protect me if there was a explosion, and at least the 2 had air conditioning.

In the end, I waited for the next 1 train, and was 20 minutes late for work. A minor inconvenience. But I can't help but feel it's only a matter of time before it's something more.