So just yesterday morning I was riding the T from my new residence in the Dogpatch downtown. Large coffee in hand, noise-reducing headphones wedged deeply in my ears, I was daydreamingly lost in a Sound Opinions podcast and thus didn't notice that I was leaning against a door that was about to pop open. When it did, I temporarily lost my balance and managed to spill a few ounces of coffee all over the guy sitting in the seat beside me.

Needless to say, he got angry, and my apology was not enough.

Such might be the start of my Muni story at tomorrow's (June 12) confab "Riders With Drinks" at the Makeout Room. Or maybe I'd argue with others about the best make-shift hippie band I've encountered on the late night 71. Sponsored by the Muni Diaries, that tirelessly entertaining group blog of the Muni experience, Riders With Drinks is simple: just grab a beverage and "hear your fellow riders recount tales of the good, the bad and the gross." A fast pass to hours of entertainment, the event should be a lot of fun, a bit cathartic, and a chance to see what some of those other schmoes you observe on the train look like after they've had a few. I'd rather miss my train than this drinky gab fest.

So how did my incident turn out?

The guy demanded that I wipe the coffee (heavily dosed with milk, thank goodness) off his brand new white sneakers and tried to will himself into a tantrum of indignation. Thanks to a physically imposing yet gentle bystander, who moderated the incident, I avoided my "Do the Right Thing" moment and walked off the train $20 lighter but without too much humiliation. I guess that's why you're not supposed to bring food or drink on the train. Riders with drinks will have to stick at the Makeout Room, not the train. Lesson learned.