The man waiting on the platform at the Montcada-Ripollet station says that all this is a shame, a nonsense, a lack of respect. There are just a few minutes left until three in the afternoon. Renfe informants detail that at the moment the train to Vic is running more or less every hour, that it is difficult to make forecasts, that everything changes all the time.
“Very bad, fatal! –adds the man who is waiting–. I live in a town in Ripollès, and I work as an administrator in Barcelona, and the journey that I usually take in a couple of hours this morning was done in four, what a hassle!” What happens is that his words do not correspond to his expression, as if contradictory feelings are trying to conquer his face. “On weekends I disconnect and I found out everything this morning, after three stops, when the driver said over the loudspeaker that we had to get off at Montcada and take a special bus. Then I realized that we were going slower than other days. And then I had to take the subway and walk and… on the subway we were like sardines!”
Thousands of other people who live north and west of Barcelona and who also have to come to the city every day also frowned, quickened their pace and also endured these sufferings. Citizen fatigue is already huge. Public road transport alternatives were also very inconvenient. The bus closes its doors with no seats left when it’s your turn to get on and a ember of anger stays there for the rest of the day. People are very tired of these scenes being so everyday for one reason or another. Because life is time: having it taken away from you little by little in such a mundane way is very nerve-wracking.
As the day progresses, the confusion at the Fabra i Puig station, in another of the nerve centers of this crisis, is even greater. The Renfe informants have to take a breath to detail the situation. “Do not pay attention to the screens that say there are no trains. Now the trains to Sabadell, Terrassa and Manresa are running approximately every half hour, but I couldn’t tell you how long they will do so.” “But to take the R3 it is best to take the metro, go to the Sagrera stop and there take a bus that will take you to the Montcada-Ripollet station.” “Yes, well, I normally work as an informant in Barberà del Vallès, but last night they told me that I had to come to Barcelona. I think all the informants have come! And last night I studied what I have to say to people, but everything changes all the time… Fortunately, people are very patient. The thing is that I don’t know how long it will last if things are not fixed soon.” Above, the station’s toilets are out of service. Meanwhile, the trickle of people who are not aware of what is happening at the sealed turnstiles at the Plaça Catalunya station is surprising. “Are there no trains? –they say to the informants– really? And what can I do?”. “Well, my mother told me something was up, but I came anyway just in case.” “I saw the elections on TV, but I didn’t see anything about this.” “I just wanted to ask if you knew how things are going to be tomorrow.” Most of them are not tourists.
“And now it’s going to take me another four hours to get home. It’s a shame…”, resumes the man who is still waiting on the platform at the Montcada-Ripollet station, the man in the first paragraph of this chronicle. His expression continues not to match his words. “Let’s see, they’ve told me that this could last a long time, and the worse the better, let’s see if they let me telework once and for all and stop coming to Barcelona every day, because I’m already tired of having to come to Barcelona”. All this is emerging as another reason to be up to your nose in the city.