I manage to get a seat on a very crowded no. 1 uptown train on Friday afternoon. A few stops later, an old man walks into the car and looks around for a seat. I motion to him that there is an available seat next to me (someone had just gotten up).
He comes over and gratefully takes the seat. And then he starts to talk to me (why, oh why, do elderly people feel a need to talk to me on the subway?!).
Old man: "You know, I'm turning 82 next week."
Me: "Oh wow! It's nice to see that you're still getting around on the Subway!"
Old man: "I work part time."
Me: "Really? Where?"
Old man: "At a senior center. I do maintenance, painting... stuff like that. I used to be a painter."
Me: "cool!" (wondering how he could manage that, but hey! Whatever keeps him happy!)
Old man: (pulls out a small magazine entitled "Awake") "Have you ever seen this?"
Me: (thinking that it must be some missionary material meant to sway my belief)
Old man: (continues) "Here, take one!"
Me: "No thanks, I have way too much stuff to read already."
Old man: (begins reading an article entitled "How to Stay Awake While Driving")
Me: (minding my own business)
Old man: "Nice day out, isn't it?"
Me: "Mmmhhh hmmmm."
Old man: "I'm coming back from the dentist, just got a tooth pulled."
Me: (why did I ever let him sit next to me??!!) "Okay."
The train finally arrives at my station. As I get up to leave, the old man man says, "well, have a nice day and thank you for your consideration!"
Anyone ever have interesting Subway conversations? Or is it just me who has funny interactions with my fellow commuters?
Last night on the E train a man looked at me very intently for 4 stops.
ReplyDeleteFinally he smiled, satisfied with himself, and loudly proclaimed:
"She's not my sister!"
I once got on the train SOAKED (thanks to a school trip in the pouring rain and my teacher had zero idea where we were going...and then I got sprayed by a passing car while we were waiting to cross to the entrance to the train station--but that's a whole different story!). Anyway, my friend and I were drenched and literally dripping, and the baby sitting next to us started playing with my hair. Needless to say, my friend started cooing to him. Too bad his mother didn't speak any English...
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