“Did You Find Love On SEPTA?” Contest Winners Did you find love on SEPTA? Did you meet a new love while riding on a bus or re-connect with a lost love while traveling on a train? These couples did. Read their stories. Couples Page Number • Tiara & Jason ~ Wind Blocker 1 • Kate & David ~ Baby You Can Drive My Bus 2-3 • Michael & Tracy ~ Love on the R7 4-5 • Althea & Lawrence ~ Something Left behind 6 • Ruth & Logan ~ Cezanne Drove Them to It 7 • Colleen & Danny ~ “I Have a Boyfriend” Line 8-9 • Christopher & Theresa ~ Love on a $10 Bet 10 • Jennifer & Jason ~ Metro and More Conversation 11 • Terri & Joe ~ Paratransit Matchmaker 12 • Bernetta & Michael ~ A Balloon and a Footlocker Bag 13 • Whitney & Sonny ~ Rusty Old Bench 14 -15 • Jared & Gabrielle ~ Say Hi 16-17 • Hillary & Charlie ~ Scary Train Man 18-19 • Kristin & Don ~ Late Love Train 20-21 Tiara & Jason ~ Wind Blocker It was a cold night in December. Waiting for the 15 trolley has never been colder, just moved back to Philly three days ago, and the freezing wind snuck up on my neck to welcome me home. But, the Coolness of the weather was no match for the coolness of his demeanor. Out my peripheral vision I spotted a tall, chocolate, handsome man. He stood about 6’2, athletic build and seemingly unbothered by the freezing temperature and wind chill. So I thought to myself ….. Perfect! Me : excuse me Him : Yes Me : Can you stand right here Him : What!?!!!?!” Me : Can u be my wind Blocker?, its freeeezing out here! The wind has been lurking from around the corner taking cheap shots @ me ! ...Jabs and right hooks! He laughed, and revealed a set of perfectly straight pearly white teeth that melted the first layer of my frost bitten body. Him : Does this job pay hourly or salary … I just got off work….don’t recall signing up for second shift. He jokingly replied I told him it was nothing wrong with putting in a little overtime! We both smiled. He stood in front of me to block the cold and wind. As our conversation heated up, so did I. Warmed by his body heat, distracted by good conversation, we were lost in smiles, and laughter, and no else around existed. Initially, I just wanted body heat but wow! What a body, I always did have good taste. The trolley came, and like a gentleman he offered his hand to assist me onto the transit. I took a seat on the first half of the car, expecting to continue the jovial conversation with my “wind” body guard. However, out my side view, I saw him walk straight pass me to sit alone onto the rear end of the trolley! The NERVE!!! I’m a beautiful woman,…. of this I am certain. Therefore, he must be Gay!! Either that or he is in a relationship and is trying do right by his woman. What a lucky woman if so. Oh well,.. I thought. I tried to distract myself with the scenery of nightlife passing on the exterior of my window seat. But for some reason couldn’t get my mind off him. Suddenly I felt a large image consume the seat beside me. I turned my head and there he was, with a smile so enticing, it provoked mine in return. He smirked and said, Him: I’d be an idiot to let you go and take the chance of never seeing you again I nodded in agreement Me: so what can I do for you love? He took a deep sigh, and stated Him : Let me put in some more overtime?!!? We both laughed and got lost in our own little world again. Warmed by the sincerity in his eyes, intrigued by good conversation …………. That’s the beginning of our love story ….and it started on Septa….. Go Septa! 1 Kate & David ~ Baby You Can Drive My Bus I had been riding SEPTA for decades as part of my daily commute to work in Center City. Over the years, I have used the regional rail lines; the Norristown Hi-Speed Line; subways; trolleys and buses. In doing so I have met many interesting people, befriended some and fell in love with one. It was the spring of 2004. I would drive to Gulph Mills Station to catch a bus, the 124 or 125, to Center City. There was one driver on the 124 that was always very professional, courteous and an excellent driver. I would usually catch his bus a couple times a week (when I could get there on time) and we would exchange pleasantries. One day in early June I boarded his bus and took a seat towards the back. When my "bus buddy" Charlotte sat down next to me, I said, "He's really handsome, is he married?" He wasn't. (Charlotte knew this because she had known this driver for years and she herself was friendly with him. His name was David Viglione). At some point, unbeknownst to me, Charlotte told David that I had expressed an interest in him. Later in the week, when I stepped off the bus, he asked me when he would see my again. I told him now that summer was coming I would probably be taking an earlier bus and perhaps I would see him on his first run out. When he told me that it was 6 something in the a.m., I said, "Forget it, I'm still hitting the snooze button!" 2 Kate & David ~ Baby You Can Drive My Bus – Cont. I walked into work wondering how the heck I was ever going to get a chance to really meet my bus driver. I needn't worry. Charlotte's stop was after mine, so after I departed the bus that fateful morning, she told David which car belonged to me. When I got back to the parking lot that night, I found the a note on my car. 6-4-04 To the prettiest woman that rides my bus: Hi, I kinda got shy on you this morning. I was going to ask your name and phone number. I get shy when I meet an attractive woman at times. “Sorry.” Anyways, this is my cell number 610---- I would love to sit down and talk to you. I am very interested in learning more about you! Sorry for this note, but I at least want you to have my cell number today. Maybe we can talk this weekend sometime. David I called David that same weekend and we hit it off immediately. The rest is history. We have been together ever since and are engaged to be married. Now I walk around my office singing, "Baby, you can drive my bus. Yes, I'm gonna a star. Baby, you can drive my bus and baby I looooove you, beep beep & beep beep, yeah!!!" 3 MICHAEL & TRACY ~ Love on the R7 Ever since we started dating, my husband and I have been known to friends as “the couple that met on the train.” Let’s start from the beginning…Michael Nyszczot and Tracy Tomchik grew up in the Philadelphia area, in neighborhoods just a train stop away from each other. They attended nearby high schools, took part in similar area activities, and had the same hangouts – but never met. Then they went off to different colleges. After graduation, both returned home, started their careers and commuted to work in Center City Philadelphia, via the Regional Rail R7, while they waited to meet that special someone. No one would think to put these two together…Michael is an Actuary - a numbers guy, a real straight shooter; Tracy is in Non-Profit Public Relations and is an artsy talker. For months, they rode the SEPTA R7 Train - getting off and on at home, one stop away from each other, with varying schedules. They shared Suburban Photo Credit: Devon John Photography Station in Center City; but since they worked on opposite sides of Billy Penn, their paths had never crossed. Until one summer day… Destiny struck as Michael walked onto the same home-bound R7 train car where Tracy had just taken a seat. He caught Tracy’s eye as he smiled and…kept walking. ‘I wish I could meet a guy like that,’ she thought to herself while awaiting her stop. To Tracy’s surprise, Michael exited the train a stop before hers. As he passed by, consciously not looking her way, she wondered where she could meet a guy like that and thought about her usual hangouts: ‘There is no way a girl meets a guy like that at the local pub’s happy hour where the rest of the poor fresh college grads hang out.’ About a week after seeing him on the train, Tracy went to the local pub to enjoy a happy hour with some girl friends. To her surprise, the handsome man that she had deemed “train boy” was standing at the bar. It was as if Journey’s song, Don’t Stop Believing, was the sound track as Tracy walked up to the bar next to Michael, turned to him and said, “Oh, I think you are on my train.” They talked for a couple minutes about their stations and where they worked, but then Michael’s friends were leaving, so they said their goodbyes. 4 MICHAEL & TRACY ~ Love on the R7 – Cont. Disappointed, but elated to have met him, Tracy stayed another hour before heading to another favorite local hangout. As she and her friends joked about “train boy” while walking from the parking lot, Michael and his friends were now walking out of that same place.