Lessons on a Skytrain

Lately, most of my social life has revolved around the skytrain. As in, this is the only social contact I have with the adult world outside of work. I know, I know it sounds very pathetic but it's really not so bad. I love people watching, for one and I've learned some valuable lessons.

For instance, I have learned that I cannot give people the benefit of the doubt on the skytrain. Normally, I really do like to live by the "3 chances" rule. You know, first time something happens I think, "hmmmm, that was odd," and move on. Second time, I make a point of acknowledging the inappropriate behavior - as in "ok, that was sooooo not acceptable." And the third time, I open up a can of whoop ass (figuratively, of course. My left jab isn't what it used to be...is that even what it's called? Left jab? I'm not sure.) This works particularly well with Q. I have to say I have never once gotten to "3." Q doesn't know what happens when I get to 3. Don't tell him, but I don't even know what happens when I get to 3. I usually get to 1 1/2 and we're good.

So, a while back when a guy got on the skytrain and sat directly behind me when it was clearly evident there were a dozen other places for him to sit, I thought "hmmmm, that's weird." When he hit me upside the head....literally, up the side of my head...I really should have said something. That was not a benefit of the doubt kind of situation. Now, I'm pretty sure he was missing a few vital brain cells that would have told him his behavior was inappropriate, but even so...

What creeped me out the most was after he left the train, and the guy sitting across from me said, "Did you know him?" When I said "no," he got really sort of angry with me. "You know," he said "You should have said something. He can't just hit you. I would have done something, said something, but I thought you knew him....I mean, he's been stroking your hair for the past 5 minutes!" Uh.....huh.....not sure how I missed that. Valuable lesson....pay more attention to your surroundings on the skytrain...

Then the other night, this obviously very drunk kid kept nudging me. This in itself was annoying enough, but he kept saying, "He's coming to get you. Are you scared? He's gonna kill you. Are you scared?" Again, first time I ignored him. Second time, I made eye contact, and gave him the 'mother look'. You know the one - the 'don't-mess-with-me-mister' look. Third time, I was winding up for a "You need to stop touching me now" when out of no where a cop was there, in between us fighting for my freedom (of space...) "Are you bugging this woman? Are you bugging her because you're drunk? Do you want to spend the night in jail?" It was so movie-ish. Too bad he was old. It could have been a love story.

It's not all bad though. One night I was sitting behind this couple who I'm pretty sure were on a first date. They talked the whole train ride. They talked about their likes and their dislikes, and every time they found they had something in common there would be this huge, "oh my goodness, I like banana's too" or "I know so-and-so!!! What a small world!" or something of the sort. I'm telling you, I was getting butterflies. I wanted to take my sniffly, coughing (it was the cold...) self and sit between them and compare notes. Something told me that would not be appropriate, but I really, really wanted to.

Remember that feeling? That newly-into someone feeling - where you talk on the phone til 6 am, and then still can't sleep because you replay every single word they said and analyze it to death. When his hand touches yours and your heart starts beating out of your chest. Or when your eyes meet, and you get goosebumps. It's so exciting to get to know someone, to feel that bond grow with every "ME TOO!!!"

Oh, I do miss it.