Important Question #4 : What's the Deal with the MTA?

Dear MTA Rent-a-Cop:

What is your deal, man? I have an unlimited metrocard. Why does the "entered without payment" box on my $100 ticket marked?

If you were there to see me and two other friends cram into the turnstyle and barrel through together, didn't you also see us swiping our cards for four and a half minutes like maxed out housewives on a shopping binge? We were dedicated, man. We stuck with it. And, alas, the metro system failed us.

"Not enough tokens," it said in emotionless blue-steel pixels. "Please swipe again."

I paid almost $100 to gleefully hop on any train I so please. Hell, after that much money I should be able to make personal visits to your office just to pinch your pseudo-authoritative cheeks and shake 'em around like Aunt Gina after one too many martinis.

And while we all know that you are barely scratching the surface of real cophood, let's pretend for a moment, and assume that the phrase "serve and protect" may apply to you. Watching us fumble around in the station was a perfect opportunity to have a little bit of useful value. You could have served us with a helping hand right then and there, swallowed some pride for a moment and taken a stab at being a good person. And, hey, if you were a little too tired or self-important in that moment, you could have asked one of your buddies at the station to help you out. There were seven of you, afterall. I guess leaning idly against counters and eating cheetos is draining.

Or maybe rather than "serve and protect" the MTA authorities' mantra is "To annoy and fill quotas." I hope my $100 goes to fixing the turnstyles.

Oh and by the way, my friend-turned-partner in crime is BLACK. She has dreadlocks and BLACK skin. I assume for her sake that the ticket marked "white" will be null and void, on account of your oblivious incompetence.