Taking BART and Buying Hats

Without a hat, a man is naked. It is the essential piece that completes any man's ensemble. Panamas, Fedoras, Stetsons; these are the hats of lore. A hat not only keeps the sun out of your eyes, and shades you from the summer heat, but keeps your head warm during those windy, snowy, rainy winter months. Upon the heads of such classic screen icons as Bogart and Cagney, the Fedora became the stuff of legend (or as Bogey might have said, "the stuff that dreams are made of") and a cultural icon. I went in pursuit of my own legendary fedora today with my "style expert" Joe. We travelled to The Hat Guys in Oakland where I found my own Fedora, finally "covering my nakedness" and completing my ensemble.

To get to Oakland, Joe and I took BART. Now, I've taken BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) a number of times before, but as great as BART can be, it's for the most part an inconvenient and poorly designed rail transit system. Granted, I'm spoiled. I spend most of my year in Chicago where I get to use the El (Elevated Train), an ugly, but extremely efficient and cost-effective transit system. The El is cheap (you can travel all across Chicago for $2), BART is not. In fact, BART (watch me as I refer to BART as though it were a person) charges you more money the farther you travel. I will admit that BART is much cleaner than the El, and anyone who has used both will certainly attest to that. Yet I can't help but shake the feeling that I'm geting ripped-off everytime I use BART.

Right now I'm smiling. I'm watching my San Jose Earthquakes taking it to the Columbus Crew. A win will put them in sole possession of first place in the MLS Western Conference, as FC Dallas tied tonight. Besides, I got my hat.