A month ago, I left my job.
I’m technically still “employed” and do some work for the company while
I’m looking for my new full-time job.
But I do this from home. The only time I’ve gone to the office in the
past month was to go have lunch with a friend.
Working from home means a few things ….
I don’t have to set an alarm to get up at the crack of dawn
to get myself and my kids with 4 legs and fur ready for the day.
I can stay in pajamas all day, if I want to.
I don’t have to put on makeup or even brush my hair, if I
don’t want to.
But best of all ….
I DON’T HAVE TO TAKE THE SUBWAY!!!
Don’t get me wrong, I have been on the subway in the past
month. But not at rush hour and I didn’t have to stand the entire way! I didn’t
have to deal with people with their bad attitudes, bad hygiene and bad manners!
No morning “preacher” wannabes. No “Excuse me for disturbing you, but
everything in my life and in the lives of everyone around me has gone to crap,
so if you could spare a quarter …” No
pushing, or shoving from all sides. No
person who’s backpack keep knocking you in the back. Nobody’s smelly armpit right next to my face
(I’m short). No guy who stands at the
subway turnstile EVERY day in his suit and tie, with his briefcase, asking if
anyone can give him a swipe. Seriously? You want me to pay for YOU to go to YOUR JOB,
when I’m currently looking for MY OWN JOB?
Just a couple of evenings ago, I was taking the subway to go
meet up with friends and I realized something.
Yes, I get all the advantages of not having to take the subway now, but
I also end up missing out on a wonderful, strange, sometimes creepy, but always
interesting world that is not like any other world out there.
I got on at my stop and immediately noticed the woman across
from me was “boppin” to some tunes coming through her headphones. Not sure what she was listening to, but it
seemed to really be enjoyable, since she was swaying and shimmying and making
all sorts of facial expressions. I was
tempted to go ask what she was listening to, but she didn’t look like she
wanted to be disturbed.
At the next stop Jesus boarded the subway car! Seriously, dude looked JUST like Jesus!! Don’t believe me? Well, here’s a picture I snuck of him.
I blacked out his face since I didn’t really have permission
to take or post his photo. But, just
look at him … he is TOTALLY Jesus! I wonder
what he was looking at on his phone?
Bible passages? Current events of
the world, so he could keep up with how much humans are messing up this
world? Or was he just playing Candy
Crush? (oh, and btw, the woman to his left is
the “boppin’” woman)
When I looked to my right and down a bit, there was a guy
who was definitely having some silent dialogue with someone. He wasn’t mouthing the words he had going on in
his head or moving around too much, but just the changes in his facial
expression told me that he was really shocked by the response he got from his imaginary
companion. I wonder if he ever won that argument?
A few stops later, a young girl came on the train. Very
pretty young girl. She looked like she
was heading out for a fun night. But if she tugged at her skirt that could have
passed for a belt one more time, I was going to scream “If you have to
constantly adjust your clothes so that you don’t go showing you hoo-haa in
public, then wear something that actually fits!!!”
When I looked to my left, down towards the end, leaning
against the door was Mr. Angry Dude!
Standing with his arms crossed, pushing up at his biceps to make them
look bigger (yes, we all know that trick) with the look on his face that says “Just
try it. I dare you.” When the door opened on his side, he wouldn’t
even turn sideways to let people out or in.
They had to squeeze by, and he would give them the eye roll and the
exasperated sigh. I am not sure, but
maybe he paid more than others to ride this train, and he thought he was
entitled to a larger amount of the space on the train. Honestly, if it were me leaving the car, I
would have totally “accidentally” bumped into him with my bag. But only if I were leaving the train. I wouldn’t want to risk what he would do if I
was staying on the train, being that he is Mr. Angry Dude!
There was also a young mother, sitting with a girl who had
to be around 3 or 4 years old. Cute
kid. Mom was playing some game on her
phone, ignoring cute kid. Cute kid kept
saying “Ma” … “Ma” … “Ma” over and over. Finally “Ma” turned to cute kid and
exasperatedly shouted “Whaaaaat?!” Cute
kid looked scared and just turned in her seat to sit quietly. I couldn’t help myself. I did my own eye roll and shook my head a bit
at that “Ma”.
And of course, there were the tourists. The ones with their maps in hand, speaking in
whatever foreign language is their native tongue. Like, I don’t know, maybe they were speaking
in Texan-ese or something. Looking from their map to the lighted sign that says
what stops we will hit along the way.
Usually, I end up going up to these people and ask if I can help them
figure out where they need to get off the train. I mean, I wouldn’t want them to accidentally
ask Mr. Angry Dude! But, it was my stop,
so I couldn’t help this time. I hope
they got to where they were going and didn’t spend their entire vacation in New
York riding the subway trying to figure out which stop to get off.
One thing I realized though, by the time my 20 minute subway
ride was over …
I ACTUALLY MISS RIDING THE SUBWAY!
But once I find a new job, have to wake up again at the
crack of dawn and squeeze myself into a crowded subway car to ride standing up the
entire way to work, I’m pretty sure I just may change my mind!
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