I work in NYC and don’t yet have the pleasure of living there, so hour and a half commutes have given me some time to reflect. I usually start to think about my day or work or how I wish I’d woken up earlier and not chosen this dress, until something grabs my attention. And for those of you who don’t ride the subway often, there is always someone doing, saying or wearing something totally messed up.
Messed up like this.
The morning commute never fails to show me the absolute best and worst of human nature.
Just this morning, getting on the bus I discovered my monthly metro card expired… yesterday. Awesome, but no big deal, I grab my wallet and pull out two dollar bills.
“Sorry hun, change only.” The bus driver points to the coin slot. Fan-freakin-tastic. And wouldn’t you know it, I had one quarter two dimes and about thirty pennies. No good.
Just then the nicest stranger I’ve met in awhile turns and says, “I’ve got you.” Swiping her card an extra time for me. We chatted for a bit and she let me pay her back but man did she really help me out. I was so surprised at her generosity and kindness, again, if you take the subway often you know why.
For those of you who don’t frequent the silver tube of human weirdness, here’s my second story from this morning.
photo from mta.info
I catch the subway at the first station, so I always get a seat. The swaths people at the following stations aren’t always so lucky. This morning the unlucky people in front of me happened to be a couple. Not young but not really old either, I guessed they were married and I think this story confirms I’m right – and that they’ll soon be getting a divorce.
The only bright spot in standing on the subway is that soon someone around you will get off and then it’s open season hunting for their seat. So this man and his (then) wife were basically the only two that could have gotten to my bench of seats, should one open up. When a guy two seats over (and closer to the woman) got up, I figured that the woman would calmly take the seat and he would wait for the next one. I was wrong, and not just wrong but shocked.
Important note: I’m like 90% sure that they were together, but if they’re not than this is even funnier more awful.
The seat opened up and her husband made a running dive into the seat while simultaneously blocking his wife with his right arm. Once comfortable, he patted his lap for his wife to sit. She and I had identical expressions, shock and disgust, and she walked away from him.
No one else on the train even blinked.
He stayed in his seat and boy do I hope he enjoyed it, cause that couch he’ll be sleeping for the next few nights won’t be nearly as comfortable as his bed.
Voyager 