Okay. Sorry for not posting a lot… I’ve been really unnecessarily neglecting my duties as a student. Anyway, I think I’ll talk about the fact that I had the most surreal morning in all of my days trudging through Manhattan for no good reason. On this fine Tuesday, I had to wake up extra early to show up to the Society of Illustrators to hang up the 50th Annual Members Awards Something Show (or whatever. You guys should check it out… very cool work this year.) That means getting up at 9:30 (on my day off no less) to get bitched at about uneven frames and bent nails. Oh, and to top it off, the reason I went was to claim my letter of recommendation from a person who never even turned up. Whatever, I’m used to it, and I get free lunch, free figure drawing, and an up-close and personal look at some of the works of the worlds finest illustrators… and all for the four dollar subway ride! Tedious and tiring, but a total win.
So yes, I am sleepy minded in the morning and I manage to take the wrong train.. for about… the whole way there (I’m lucky it was a close stop,) it wasn’t too bad, just took the E instead of the F… but it was so strange to me. It was like, this morning, the E train was a completely different dimension. I left New York City at around 10:00am this morning, and traveled to a distant land of understandable, friendly PA systems, and happy passengers with smiling faces… *sigh*
Well let me explain, I got onto this car, and found a seat. In fact, the usually busy E, was oddly deserted. Then as we went along our merry (but wrong, as I later discovered) way, every time the train let off passengers, the conductor would wish the departees a “nice day.” What the hell?! What is this place I have wandered into?!?! I thought.
That’s when this woman boarded our car. She looked like she used to be a hippy. I don’t know how to describe her, but she observed everybody. and when we made eye contact, she smiled??? It was very… happy inducing?. After she got off the train, I couldn’t stop smiling. partially because my past hour had been so ridiculous, partially because I realized that this woman, even though she may get rejected by many people and denounced as some sort of creepy person for smiling at them, will bring joy to peoples lives (even those who she doesn’t know) just because she is willing to smile (despite rejection.
As I pondered this, I heard the conductor proclaim our arrival at 53rd and Lexington. I thought, good only one stop left… just 63rd left. I took a look at the map, just to make sure my reasoning was flawless. It totally wasn’t. I had been riding the E the entire time I had to ride the F! and this was the last stop before Queens! I ran to the door, only to get slammed by it halfway through… ouch. I managed to escape with most of my body and personal belongings intact…. the only thing that had been left behind was my dignity… But I’m sure it’ll catch up and find me eventually.
It makes me wonder… since I took the wrong train, if I was ever meant to see that little sliver of Not-New York on the E Line, and if people are always happy there, and the conductor is always wishing people well on their way. And maybe there is a hidden side that I just never see, since I am so busy being stressed out and all around hating the parts of New York I deal with on an everyday basis.
