Riding the subways

Have any of you ever wondered about the subways? The weird things that happen are for the books and their efficiency is sadly lacking.



I have seen some strange stuff happening in the trains. Like men running to steal a seat from a pregnant woman or the elderly (this usually happens sadly with foreigners who are unfamiliar with our culture--not being xenophobic--just stating a fact.) I get a kick out of the heavy woman trying to squeeze herself into a small space (one was actually yelled at by another passenger who refused to move).



I have actually witnessed a pickpocket taking place and the perpetrator was a clean cut man in his forties who looked like he was commuting home from work... of course he denied it when many, including myself accused him in front of the almost-victim. I have seen cops abuse power (there was no need especially since he had gotten off the train) and mace a belligerent passenger. I have also witnessed fights (mostly between women). Finally you have the preachers who praise the Lord while professing to all the riders their doom to hell because we tolerate gays, pre-teen sex, drugs and alcohol.



My other favorite is watching people come into the subways with take out from the local Chinese restaurant-- pork fried rice with chicken wings and an egg roll. And they eat it there! GROSS!!! On occasion you will have one with soup or pizza or a burrito. Maybe even rice with beans and the pork chop. In the mornings its a McMuffin sandwich or buttered roll with coffee. Or the ever stinker, eggs with cheese and bacon and juice... ahhhh breakfast on the Lexington Ave local. Every now and then you will come across the guy who still thinks its cool to blare rap, soul or salsa so that the entire subway car have to listen to it all throughout the ride... there is not a freaking cop around to fine them.



You also have regular cast of homeless. There is Michael who is always looking for brothers and sisters, hermanos y hermanas to help him out. There is the dude who reminds us that we are not from Hollywood, that we are from the hood. There there is the one who looks like Rubeus Hagrid (the big, heavy, bearded wizard in the Harry Potter series) who even sounds like the character. Then you have the traveling performances. There is the Homeless Doowap al capetta singers. There is the annoying Mariachis who sing the same songs over and over again. The Teen Dancers who always threaten to hit passengers or their bags as they flip in the aisle.



Riding the subways is an adventure always. If its not the passengers, then its the MTA. Lets see--how many times do we have to listen to the robot's voice berating passengers for holding or leaning against the doors??? What about when there is no local service and all the trains are running on the express track but the dumbass in the command center says nothing to the passengers waiting on crowded local platforms for the train to arrive. I love it when there is a delay because of police activity. That means you need to get off and walk 20 blocks. You will get there faster.



Then there is the occasional act of nature... so you will have floods (no service on the #6 Line), blackouts (no service on the #6 Line), passengers who suddenly become ill (no service on the #6 Line) and track fires (no service on the #6 Line). Oh... if you havent figured it out, i live on the #6 line. So here you have it people... The Lexington Avenue local is no efficient. Its late. Its Dirty. And the only one on the east side. Service sucks but its an adventure guaranteed. In the end, you just go along for the ride--"Watch your step and stand clear of the closing doors!"