A Worthwhile Improvement, Made

It’s not perfect, but we’ll take it.

Back in April, I wrote about the Googly Eyes on the MBTA movement. This effort aimed to have googly eyes placed on Boston’s subway and train cars, and included a demonstration in downtown Boston. Though the cause was righteous, I had little hope we’d see results.

How wrong I was! Please see this email from MBTA Director of Communications Joe Pesaturo, recently received by movement organizer Arielle Lok:

An email from MBTA Director of Communications Joe Pesaturo, indicating they have installed ‘googly’ eyes on five vehicles, as part of ongoing efforts to bring moments of joy to our riders’ daily commutes

Yes, some of Boston’s rail cars now have googly eyes. Yesterday, one of the trains was spotted in the wild, and soon after, the T confirmed the story to WBUR reporter Nik DeCosta-Klipa.

In total, the T says they put the fake eyes on five vehicles — on the Green Line and the commuter rail.

“After receiving public suggestions, our team found a safe way to install these ‘googly’ eyes on a limited number of vehicles,” a T spokesman said.

A Commuter Rail train with eyes painted on the front.

It’s absolutely wonderful to see this silliness fulfilled. The world needs more whimsical nonsense. However, I find I must quibble with the MBTA’s implementation. A key aspect of googly eyes is that the move. As a train rumbles into a station, the eyes should be agog. Delightful those these eyes are, they appear to be static paint or stickers.

I can understand this is a simpler solution, one in which there need be no concern of the eyes falling off the train. I don’t wish to look a gift googly-eyed train in the mouth (just in the eyes). Still, for me, the true dream of googly eyes on the T remains but partially fulfilled.