E-Mail This Article to a Friend Express to nowhere: Monday's logistical glitch BY SAM PFEIFLE

TUESDAY, July 27, 2004 -- We didn't have to take a leap of faith through a wall that wasn't, but getting on the train following the Democratic National Convention's first day was fairly confusing. Cutting out of Bill Clinton's finishing speech a bit early to beat the rush (what, he was going to announce support for legalizing marijuana?) we were directed toward the "Back Bay Express" by an eager convention volunteer.

"It's free," he encouraged us. "Just follow the vests." We eyed another exit, one that would take us via a quick walk to Haymarket and the Green Line, but the volunteer's arms were moving, and another guy had a bullhorn, and they were pretty adamant about this Back Bay Express. And so we were directed into the supposedly closed North Station T stop, past a line of the most heavily armed guards we had seen thus far: all in black, bullet-proof vests, AK-47s prominently displayed across their chests. We felt kind of special. All this protection, and there were only about five of us. Going down the stairs, we could hear the finish of Clinton's speech, piped in over loudspeakers. There was no train. We stood there for about 10 minutes. Then a T worker came over.

"So, what's going on up there all day?" he asked.

We told him, "Not much. A bunch of speeches saying the same thing over and over again."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He sported a nice full-coverage tattoo from the elbow down on his right arm.

Getting impatient, we asked him what the hold up was. "The trains aren't stopping here. We're just going to have a special train for you guys at the DNC. It will take you straight to Back Bay. There'll probably be about six of them."

Then his radio cackled: "Keep the people occupied down there." Wondering if that's what he had already been doing, I asked him if he had a song and dance planned. He started to answer, then the radio cackled again, two voices in the following exchange:" Yeah, we're just waiting for special approval."

"Special approval from who?"

"I don't know."

"We got - just keep them occupied."

"But don't start singing."

A few delegates started filtering down. Clinton was done. Two people who had come in with us bailed out back up the stairs. We could easily have been on the Haymarket train by now.

Cackle: "The Secret Service didn't open the station."

"Who did?"

"We're looking into who let them in."

Two Orange Line trains rolled past, both with a smattering of passengers.

Cackle: "And the verdict is?"

I asked another T worker if the Red Sox had won.

"It was 10-nothin' last time I heard."

Cackle: "You giving an interview down there?"

We left for Haymarket.