Before we get on or off the boat, we have to listen to some announcements.

[conuly]

"Welcome aboard the Staten Island Ferry. Please take a moment to pay attention to the following safety announcements."

or, when leaving...

"All passengers must depart the ferry at this time. Passengers wishing to make a return trip to Manhattan must exit into the terminal to await the next ferry."

This announcements get into your brain, they really do. I've heard four year olds reciting them before getting on the boat. I've heard teenagers going through the spiel when leaving the boat. I've heard people of all ages (including myself) mindlessly humming or reciting along as the announcement went through.

If I were to write a children's book about riding the ferry, it'd have to include the whole routine, because it's clearly an essential part of life if you take the boat too often.

"Please stay off stairs, ramps, and landings during docking. Failure to do so could result in serious injury."

I tell you, the announcements even show up in dreams.

Anything like that happen to anybody else lately?

Comments

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

It was crazy tonight, all of a sudden I was stopped DEAD IN MY TRACKS because it smelled just like the ferry terminal. Maybe it was the humidity, or the faint smell of hot dog, but I swear to god it creeped me out. It was SO REAL. And I've been thinking about you guys and NYC so much lately, it was just multi-level weird.

No one I was with got it at all, I was sad.

[conuly]

I've had moments like that. Scarysad, aren't they?

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Yeah.. especially this one because it made me WAY nostalgic and regretful and blah. It was crazy.