Tram Travelin'

They did it! First the background - -

Five very long weeks ago "my" tram line was closed. The notice calls it a diversion, and it certainly is that. Everyone assured me that when the notice says May 3, it will be running May 3. I moved here from North Carolina, and believe me, I found that very difficult to believe. (In all fairness, I can think of a couple other states which would make it nearly as difficult.) I have been waiting semi-patiently to ride "my" tram today. I really didn't care if I went somewhere or nowhere. I just wanted to go. Rain or no rain -- and I would have won had I placed my bet on rain.

Friday I made my usual "diversion" trip on the alternate line (it has been adding 20-30 minutes to both the beginning and the end of every trip) and came face to face with what appeared to be a very bad joke -- a new diversion sign. And on "my" line! I wish I were mature enough, psychologically developed enough, or maybe even natured enough that I could say the sign didn't send my spirits plummeting. It did. And what seems even worse is that I was having all sorts of unhealthy reactions without even knowing what was going on!

Have I mentioned before how much I love Prague trams! I enjoy moving through the various sections of town on them; I'm fascinated seeing the constant interplay and jockeying for position of other riders; I'm entertained hearing the music of the language on multiple cell phone conversations; I'm particularly delighted watching the very well-behaved babies and toddlers in the strollers and dogs at their owners' feet. Trams are terrific! And best of all, they really work. They almost always come when they are supposed to, and they always take you where they promise they will. What a deal.

If I had to say where I would place myself on a line which moved between pessimist and optimist, I think I'd go about halfway between realist (obviously the center of the spectrum) and optimist. I'm ready to believe things are going to be great -- at least I'll give them a chance to be. That is why I turned right toward "my" line, not left toward the "alternate" when I left the building today. I was ready to believe that May 3 meant May 3.

And they did it! Just before I got to my stop, a tram went past. And I wasn't even upset that I missed it. No big deal -- I can wait for another. They always come. And another came on time, but it didn't have the right number on it -- it was an orange 30 sign. (A tram number beginning with a 3 is a temporary number.) Got it -- this is the new diversion. And off I went, to a section of Prague I'd not seen before, part of the old King's vineyard (that's why the district is called Vinohrady) and beyond. And I learned that life will be much easier than it has been recently. I learned I can go somewhere very new and come back to the familiar, I can find my way around new names and places, even anticipate the adjustments I'll need to make. I'm being "at home."

I am impressed. This is a big promise kept! They not only fixed the water lines in the area which had been closed (what I was told was the main reason for the closure), they also laid all new tracks and planted trees along the edge of the sidewalk. They certainly exceeded all my expectations.

Now I'm ready to believe that this next two weeks will end on time as promised. And I'm going on a tram again tomorrow, just to see where it will take me. I know there will be beautiful buildings as well as ordinary ones, and there will be people whose stories I'd love to hear, and best of all, I'll continue to believe the promises.

Not just the ones from the civil engineers. All the promises of life.