ON THE UPTOWN 6
Stepping off the Astor place platform and into the uptown bound 6-train, there’s an abrupt shift in atmosphere. The cart is crowded, maintaining personal space is next to impossible and an aura of anxiety fills the air. Knees are bouncing up and down the aisle in a nervous and instinctual way, counting down the subway stops until a final destination. A young girl sits perfectly still amidst the loud chatter and stares off into space with a deep contemplative stare, unfazed by the blaring 50-cent’s “Party like it’s your Birthday” soundtrack coming from a neighboring iPod. The first stop, “Union Square”, and people systematically step aside allowing those getting off through and out the doors. “Stand clear of the closing doors, please” and as it never fails, someone doesn’t take the warning seriously. The announcement is followed by a loud and spastic opening and shutting of the doors. A young man uses his foot as a wedge, disrupting the sensors in a last stitch effort to catch the train before it leaves the platform. A once sleeping baby is now petrified, wide awake, wailing and screeching as his father frantically searches for a pacifier to calm him down.
Luckily, only 2 more stops to go.
I worked in Manhattan for a while (frequenting the subway because I had to visit client sites) and I could tell you stories about the subway
One of the tamer ones is when I took one of the trains to the end (I think it was South Street Seaport) and that line dead-ended there. There were two tracks so each track alternated between arriving and departing trains. Anyway, a woman had passed out right in the doorway of the train that was the next to depart. A bunch of people gathered around and finally a police officer arrived. Now, mind you, this crowd was more interested in leaving on the next train rather than the woman passed out half on and half off the train. Finally, one of the crowd actually asked the officer if he could perhaps drag this woman out and on to the platform so that they could start the train.
Sometimes NYC is a really nice and friendly place but then there are commuters in a rush – sheesh
HAHAHA… you capture the City so perfectly!! So True So True ~MM