Two of the three giant escalators at the T station near our house have been out of order for the past couple of weeks, so commuters in the morning have been taking the 117 stairs down to the platform. (Few people take the urine-fumed, pokey elevator.) This morning, a middle-aged woman behind me exclaimed, somewhat paradoxically, “Physical fitness this AIN’T!” Good thing the MBTA is hiring a director of vertical transportation.

At least I’m not the only one who’s noticed how decrepit the station is getting.