Adventures On a Train

Saturday, in the Park....not really, on the train.  But how many of you just started singing  that song by the 70s band Chicago?  Huh?  Huh?

So, Saturday:  early start to get to a rehearsal in far away Bay Ridge.  There's a meal cart vendor around the corner in my 'hood that makes a good, cheap bacon, egg and cheese, but today I want to see if any of the bakeries I've noticed closer to the subway have any good, fresh baked treats.

Insert sound of game show 'WRONG' buzzer here.    The bakeries all had saran wrapped, gross looking muffins.  Yuch.  So I try the cart vendor near the train entrance.  Yuch, again.  The roll was toasted, however, the egg was thin and he used FAKE BACON.  Do I even need to talk about how wrong that is?!?!
Aaaandddd he charged me $4!!  My regular near the corner only charges me $3.50 for the sandwich and the coffee.  And New Vendor Guy even had a sign saying the $4 deal included a juice.  So I took one.  and not the Sunny D that the breakfast deal included.  I took an apple juice, damnit.   So There.

Anyway, so I get on the train and I sit in one of those seats that abut other seats, the ones where you're sitting with your back to someone else?  I usually don't like those because sometimes people's hair touches yours and that creeps me out.  There must have not been anyone in the behind-me seat when I sat down, otherwise I don't think I would have chosen that seat.  So, I'm messing with the coffee New Vendor Guy gave me in a leaky cup that looks like it was maybe used, and I finally sit up and something bumps the back of my head.  I feel behind my head, and all I feel is the steel vertical seat bar.  So I return to whatever I'm messing with.  Eventually I sit up again and I bump my head again.  So I turn around to see what's up and this very black lady is glaring at me and I notice she had her hair wrapped up on the back of her head and it sticks out about a foot.  So I say, "You have big hair!" in a very friendly, kind of joyous way.  Ya know what she says?  In a confrontational aggressive way?  "And you can't sit still!"

"All I did was sit up straight in my seat"

"Well, don't sit up!"

"Excuse Me!  You're telling me not to sit up in my own seat on the train?"

OK.  Let me move to another seat.

"Oh, now you gonna move to another seat!?"

Uh, well, yah, is that rocket science?

So she continues yelling at me, and I just say "well you DO have big hair.  It's not like an insult.  You just do!"  But she's stuck on my ants-in-the-pants label, so I finally start saying "we don't have to hate each other".  I pretty quickly give that up though.

After a little bit this really skinny guy comes on and starts preachin Jesus.  Oh, hell no.  No, no, no, no, no.  Big Hair Lady already has me turned on, plus I'm a little pissed off about New Vendor Guys Fake Bacon, so I can't help myself and I word vomit to him "I paid too much for my ticket on this train to listen to THIS.  Do you want to pay for my ticket?!"  Some passengers smile at me.  "Right?!", they laugh.  But he just keeps preachin his crap so i put on my headphones.

A lot of the train clears out after this point, but a new guy comes on handing out little slips of paper to everyone, not really asking if they want it, just giving it to them.  He comes near me and I say "You don't want to give me one cause I'll Yell."  No problem, he doesn't.  I'm really curious about what's written on it, but not enough to ask for one.  After he hands them out he goes back to the other end of the train and passes his hat.   - - - - -

Really?

This is a new trick.  This is a new one.  I've never seen this before.  Hand people your art work, or poem, unasked, unsolicited, almost forced - and then ask for money for it.  I have to admire the pro-active attitude.  Isn't that the American way?  Isn't that how the American Dream is realized.

Ahem

On the train home from rehearsal, there is a homeless man walking the car, not even asking for anything.  He doesn't have to, his appearance asks for him.  Well I assume he's homeless.  He's wearing tatters, he's unshaven, he's very thin, and he has no shoes.  It's the last bit that slays me; his long thin bare feet that he is trying not to step on as he walks, obviously in pain.  I always look at the footwear of panhandlers.  If you have better kicks than me, I am not giving you coin.  I empty out my change purse for this guy.  I really want to take him to buy shoes, but I don't even know how to initiate that.  And he's old.  Someone's son, brother, uncle, maybe father?  Grandfather?  and uncared for.  alone.   I know there are those who refuse help, who choose to live on the streets.  Shouldn't there be some way for them to be cared for?  It's just not right to punish people for non-conformity.  This is a complicated issue to some.  To me it's simple.  If you are not hurting anyone there should be a way for you to have the basic needs.  Period.

I feel helpless. and empty.  and incredibly sad.  What circumstances brought him to this?  He does not appear drugged or jonesing - just, plain destitute.  I am embarrassed that we live in a society that has such callous disregard for the well being of it's members.

I would much rather be able to laugh about someone's creative way of panhandling as they try to promote their own creation than to be wondering why an old, sick man has no shoes.

And I'd love to end with an upbeat line about looking forward to next Saturday's train ride to Bay Ridge, and all the adventures it will provide.  But I know I will see too many bodies sleeping on cardboard in the subway entrances.