Little Red Riding Bus

Who needs the MBTA when Harvard Shuttles bus thousands of people a day to some of the most exciting destinations in Cambridge and Allston? Late one Thursday night, Fifteen Minutes ventured to the far reaches of Harvard's shuttle system. That's right--we took the shuttle beyond Mather House--to Peabody Terrace.

Just getting there is half the fun. Taking the shuttle is not only a safe, reliable and practical way to get across campus. It can be amusing as well. The 9:25 shuttle to Lamont arrived a little early--a welcome sight for frozen shuttle riders. At 9:25 on the dot, the shuttle took off, mercifully picking up a few students at an unscheduled stop in front of Schoenhoff's.

On the way to Mather, the driver asked his passengers if they wanted to go on a short-cut. One woman meekly answered, "Yes." The bus made a right on to Plympton and raced towards Memorial Drive. It was going the wrong way on a one-way street!

Within minutes, we were whisked to Peabody Terrace, the apartment complex that houses grad students. Concrete towers, connected to one another by concrete bridges, loom over a dimly lit parking lot, a court-yard, and some playgrounds. Quite a sight.

It was quiet the night Fifteen Minutes came, which is probably typical. A lone woman pushed a stroller in the parking lot, while in the Peabody Terrace laundry room, Lee Branstetter loaded his clothes into the Maytag washers. Branstetter, a third year Economics Ph.D. candidate, likes living in Peabody Terrace. He says many of its residents are families and students from abroad. "In the spring and summer, all these kids from different cultures come out to play," says Branstetter, who has lived in Peabody Terrace for two years. "It's like a Benetton commercial."

In between the concrete buildings, there is a pretty Holyoke Center-esque brick courtyard with painted metal benches and coffee tables. Don't miss the interesting blue and red semi-circle sculpture jutting out of the covered parking lot. The children's center has extensive playground equipment. We would recommend visiting Peabody Terrace at night. Incandescent lampposts contribute to a surreal effect, and at night, you can use the playground without having to worry about pushing little children off the swings.