MUSEUM STATION – Imagine that you’re making your way down the yellow subway line, and somehow you’re squeezed out onto the Museum Station platform. Someone pulls the passenger assistance alarm at the last station, and you’re now stranded here for days.
Despite the safety of modern technology, this unfortunate situation is encountered by many and survived by few. I’m going to show you how to survive long enough for the next train to arrive.
The first thing you want to do is examine your surroundings. Should you get off at Museum station like I have, you will see strange pillars adorned with demonic-looking stone heads. These fearsome structures were sculpted by an ancient, long forgotten unionized downtown construction company, and are rumored to contain the bones of their fallen brethren and their class action lawsuits for workplace safety.
Along with a seemingly endless pathway on your left and right, there is also a central staircase that ascends upwards. You will explore these later on, but right now you will have to find a source of fresh water and food. Begin searching your surroundings for a distinctive metal structure. It should have three round openings on top, with symbols reading “Recycling” and “Litter” left here by previous explorers.
These structures are sacrificial altars used by visiting pilgrims, who cast offerings into specific openings. Inside the blue “Recycling” opening you should be able to find clear canisters with small amounts of water inside. Inside the “Litter” opening, you can find offerings of food. Do be careful when taking these relics, since the natives will likely find it disrespectful.
I have personally found some fried chicken bones, and I hope you will be as lucky in this situation. These provisions should sustain you until nightfall, but if not you can also hunt for fresh game by the subway tracks. Mice are a very good source of protein, and their fur is a prized commodity.
The first night of a TTC delay is often the hardest, but luckily the station is protected from the elements. Seek refuge near benches or the aforementioned bins for the time being, and avoid the yellow tiles. I will cover more survival tips and how to build sustainable lodgings in the next edition of this series.
