Another Metro-Link blooper

I was kicked off the Metro-Link train at San Juan Capistrano. I had paid my $7.75 one-way fee but on boarding, it was announced that the train would not go further than San Juan Capistrano. We had bought tickets to the city but the train...well instead of telling you, allow the story to unwind by itself. Some of us ended up on a tour of the Camp Pendleton on the #395 Breeze train. 
    My camera's audio did not work but you can plainly see what happened when the train kicked us off at the San Juan Station. The first picture shows disgruntled passengers trying to find out how to get to Oceanside. The Second is a girl who also was upset. 

   Inside the #395 Breeze bus sat Juanita and her mother Mrs. Gomez. Also there was Dotty with her son Nate, Blanch, and Emily. The bus had retrieved us from Carl's Junior at six thirty. We had embarked on the Union Station Metro-Link at 2:00 unaware that our fate would be in the hands of the dumb-clucks who run the train. A local bus out of San Clemente had taken us a round-a-bout way to Carl's Big Boy, a few yards from Camp Pendleton.  Our destination was the south book-end of San Diego, Oceanside.

  "Remember me. We got on with you in Oceanside on Friday afternoon. Nobody warned us that the the tracks would be worked on after San Juan Capistrano. . Did you see all of that commotion of people. It looked as if many were not aware that the tracks were being fixed."
   Dotty shared her experience with seven others on the #935 bus. The bus swings and winds its way through the Marine camp and enters the entrance. A Marine boards and checks our identities. He is nice and allows two to slide through the gates.
  "Well, I was not informed that the train  was not headed for Oceanside. I could have taken Monday's train just the same...The conductor announced that this train's last stop was San Juan Capistrano due to weekend work on the train, yet in know-way could I buy another ticket on Greyhound at Union Station.  the bus to L.A. might have already been filled. ..
  " I had showed conductor Flores my train ticket, but he was not interested. He gave me some cock-and-bull story that he had been unaware of the work further down the rails. 'I handle the train and in no way am interested in the passengers' he told me."
  "But I have a medical problem." He gingerly left to another car never to be seen again."

    "Who did you visit in Los Angeles?" Dotty inquired.
   "I visited my daughter in Los Angeles, and then enjoyed the beaches in Santa Monica. My bus dropped me off on Fourth Street instead of Ocean. A five K was planned for the Avenue, and  I had no idea where the #7 would be to pick me up. Yet I enjoyed the race and saw the Exposition Metro had proceeded all the way to Fourth Street. Now folks all over the city could visit the home of volleyball and muscle men-like me."
   At that point Juanita interjected a few words. "I was born in Chinatown and this is my Mexican mother. We were not on the Metro but somehow got lost in the noisy crowd wishing a ride to Oceanside."
   I found out that she had a crises with identity theft and was homeless. Her Mom had fallen asleep - that is all but her hands that shook. I found out more about Juanita. All-awhile the bus chugged along the back roads of the large marine base. ash and burnt trees along with way. A military police checked our identity and allowed us to proceed.
   "My Mom and I are tired. We spent the last four nights sleeping on park benches. My relief check and her check is all we have for the month. But since this is he first of May we have enough for another stay at a motel...Do you know of any?"
    "My car is parked at the Oceanside Transit Center and I can drive both of you to the motel." I informed her. The bus now traveled up and down lush green hills. Tanks, armored trucks, and other equipment were revealed along the way. There was a gas station, dental office and brand new building along the way. Dorthy now had a turn to speak.
    "I work at the VA and understand how these young kids are so-brainwashed by their superiors to get them in killing-shape. Why my high school boy friend went through a big change when he joined up. I could see it in his glassy eyes and broke up with him...Our hospital was very busy as of late, until the kids were told not to go across he border...I had to call too many Mom's that there son had been  in a bad accident and might not pull-through."
   The #395 bus spilled out of Camp Pendleton and on to the street parallel to Mission Blvd. I told Juanita to watch for the Motel Six as it was her best shot for a bed. The bus driver overheard us and stopped the bus a few yards from the Motel Six. Somebody in the rear told them to grab their luggage and head for the motel.
    For me it felt good to have friends to commiserate with on this bad-turn-of events. I had saved sixty dollars for the fresh sheets. I had not looked at T.V. for several days. The Texas shooting reminded me that T.V. had been the source of all of our problems.