Riding the Train to Work

Yesterday I rode the train to work again. Since I had already taken the train by myself to the Staatsgalerie, I felt comfortable about going solo. I hopped on the train and realized immediately that something was different about the car I was riding in. For one, the seats were bigger and comfier, but there was also rails everywhere, sort of like in a handicap bathroom, ya know? So I thought that it was possible that I was riding in the handicap car, but there were no signs anywhere that made me think that...so I just got to work writing a few post cards when this lady with bright red (dyed) hair and a tight little mouth who began yelling at me in German and showing me a badge of some sort. I asked her if she spoke English and she began repeating the word "ticket, ticket, ticket!" So I showed her my ticket. It was the wrong type of ticket!! "Come wis Me," she ordered. So I went! She kept lecturing me in German, but I had no idea what she was saying. Then she pointed at a big number 1 painted on the wall. Thank goodness there was a nice young woman that motioned for me to sit down next to her. I plopped down in the seat and asked her if she spoke English. She did and asked for my ticket. Then she explained to me that I had been sitting in First Class when I had paid for a coach ticket. Who'dve thunk that there'd be a first class section of an inter city train?! Obviously, not this clueless American!