So, NY is always entertaining. Riding the train is always an experience. I have had several interesting encounters on my rides around the city. I want to start writing about all of these treats with strangers.
After work tonight, I took a stroll down Court Street in Cobble Hill and wandered into a cozy, inviting little bookstore. Then I bought a coffee and hopped on the F train heading uptown to Delancey/Essex St.
Upon entering the train, I noticed the car wasn't too packed which is always nice. Sometimes being so physically close to other people makes me extremely uncomfortable. A lot of times I will choose to stand even if there is an empty seat because I don't want to be next to anyone. Then, I don't really like standing because I feel like the center of attention. ha. Usually I have my headphones on and I turn my back to everyone and just look out the window or read to avoid uncomfortableness. Note, this isn't always the case as my story will illustrate.
Tonight, I sat down on the train, did not have my headphones on and was looking around checking out the people surrounding me. To my right, a section over, there were 2 kids (a brother and sister), their dad, and a stranger sitting beside them. Across from them was another man sitting by himself. The 2 kids were commanding everyone's attention on the train; with their wild, untameable energy (especially the little girl). They were running back and forth through the car on the train, oblivious to anyone around them. The little girl was spinning around on the pole. Then they were standing on the seats and the little girl was leaping from the seat into the middle of the floor. The father did nothing but mildly tell his children to stop. Once he told them to stop, they became more energetic and louder. THEN the little girl jumps on the man sitting beside her. I could tell he was extremely uncomfortable but did a nervous laugh. I sort of bursted out laughing; it was just so ABSURD! The man sitting across from them also started laughing. The man who was jumped on then says to the man sitting across from him, "haha, watch, you're next." The little girl apparently liked the sound of that because then she started kneeling down in front of the man across from her and leaped onto him while making animal sounds. hahahahahahahahahaha. I seriously could not believe my eyes. That man responded very cool though and just laughed it off. The little girl liked him and kept doing this flying leap thing repeatedly. I'm just watching and laughing to myself. I was so curious to see how this man would respond to these kids. The little girl then starts climbing on him and play biting his hand. He is still very cool and is laughing and playing with her. Then the brother comes over and is doing the same thing. Now, the dad is watching his two kids across from him climb all over this stranger. This went on for about 6 stops. When, Essex/Delancey stop came up the man was coincidentally getting off there too. He told the kids he had to go and the 3 of them were genuinely sad. They both hugged him tight, gave him high fives, frowned and said goodbye.
I am walking off the train and this man is now walking beside me and I'm thinking, "I need to tell this guy how amazing he just was with those kids." I look at him and say, "so you made some new friends." He smiled back and said, "yea, those were great kids." I'm laughing and telling him how unbelievable what I just witnessed was. He is agreeing and we continue chatting. I told him how amazing his response was to them. Now, we are on the platform to take our next train, and it becomes slightly awkward and we say bye to each other. I'm thinking how hilarious it is that we just said "bye" to each other when we're still on the same platform and there was no reason we should really have stopped talking. We both walk different directions. At this point, I'm in my own little world; watching people make-out, whatever. Well, that man comes back up to me and he asks, "excuse me, do you have a boyfriend?" I lie and say, "yes."
NOTE: I always lie and tell strangers I have a boyfriend in case they are weird (not in a good way) and I have that as a back-up.
Then he says, "ahhh. Are you happy?" I continue lying and I say, "yea." He said, "that's good. As long as you're happy. Happiness is so important." I agree and I asked him if he was happy and he laughs and says no. He told me how he just got out of a recent relationship and how draining it was because his girlfriend was so negative. We begin a brief discussion about relationships upon entering our train. We stand against the doors and continue chatting. He was extremely easy to talk to, witty, and cute. We talked about where we lived and his stop was 4 before mine. He says, "I know you have a boyfriend but I still think we should exchange numbers." I laugh and asked "why?" He flirts and says "we can be friends." He asks, "do you like to go running? we can work-out together." hahahaha. I told him I was into yoga... and how I do like to run but not around my neighborhood. He's asking me about my program at school and we just discuss life in general. Then he asks me again if he can get my number and I agreed and I told him, "JUST friends." He smiles and tells me that I'm beautiful and how he noticed me when I first walked on the train but the kids distracted him. He also said that he noticed me laughing at him. He calls me right then to be sure that I gave him the right number, haha. I asked, "did you really think I gave you the wrong number?" He said, "girls lie." !!!!!!!!!!!!!! So hilarious because I already lied to him about having a boyfriend. I rebuttal and ask "okay and guys don't?!" He says, "no, you girls are good." It's like he was seeing right through me. His stop comes up and he says "well, I guess this is goodbye." I'm pretty sure he wanted to hug me but I shook his hand and told Tony that it was nice meeting him. He said he would call me soon and I said, "Okay, FRIEND." He laughed and walked off.
Then everyone was staring at me when he left because most people could hear our conversation.
Anyway, moments like those, those are the ones I thrive off of. All of them.
6 years ago
