Flat on My Back (Not a song title)

It was a bad start to a wet morning. I found myself this morning at about 9:20am flat on my back, with my legs splayed and kicked up into the air on the subway station platform. You see, I was clip-clopping my way gingerly down the stairs when I heard the unmistakable call of an incoming train. (Squeeeeeiiel-squeeiieel.) I say clip-clopped because I recently bought a pair of shoes that have a wooden heel construction/core and which actually make clop-clop sounds as I walk along hard surfaces. But there I was in mid-stair flight, when I heard the train. I bounded down the steps, whipped out my commuter pass, and expertly slid said pass through the mouth of an open and awaiting turnstall.  

Everything was as clockwork. While I was negotiating the turnstall, the train had pulled in and the doors had opened and a steady stream of black, navy, and grey suits streamed out. The warning chime sounded, signaling that the doors were about to close. I knew that I had precious time remaining to make it through the door. Strangely, it was as if the gates of heaven opened up and my salvation lay at the other side. I had to get on! I was going to get on. I cleared the gate and made a dash for the nearest open door in front of me.  

This was to be my undoing. There was too much dash and too little grip on the underside of my brown, tanned leather cloppers. As I approached the door, my legs automatically reflexed in response to the speed and attempted to put on the brakes; put on the brakes on a semi-wet, slick, hard surfaced floor. My momentum coupled with all factors resulted in a big, hard, splat. As I lay on the floor though, there was just one thing on my mind – get through those dang doors! There was no way, I was gonna miss that train.  

Disoriented, I flopped, rolled, and recovered; stood to my feet and scrambled in like a drunken man. I just made it. I regained my composure, peeled off some of the loose skin from my scuffed hands and fingers and brushed off some of the water as well as some of the curious stares. Embarrassing I suppose but who cares. I was on the train. I made it. In some ways, it felt like rumbling down field and scoring a touchdown. Somedays, you just gotta do what you gotta do.