*Subway Series* ~Dinner time Edition~

It's freezing. I'm bundled up in a long wool coat and I'm wearing 6in heels with no tights or socks.


I've just left visiting my brother who's doing well and that has me in good spirits.

The train arrives and it's not super crowded. I snuggle into a seat and close my eyes as Capleton sings an accapella reggae song in my ears.

After a few tops a trio of loud, young women get onto the train. Two sit beside me and one stands... In front of me. I ask her if she'd like to sit. She declines. They carry on their loud conversation. I can't hear exactly what they're saying because my music is at maximum volume. But you know the type. Loud and ghetto. Head full of weave. Their conversation is more a show for the people around them than an actual conversation. They are on the heavy side and wearing cheap, ill fitting clothes. I grimace.

Heavy #2 and Heavy #3 (the two sitting on the seat to my right) are staring to the left in my direction. I slowly turn my head, nostrils flared and look over at them realizing they are looking past me. Heavy #1 is holding up a plastic bag with a Styrofoam food container.

I look to the end of the train car to see an older homeless man with salt and pepper hair, wearing a flight jacket, and dingy jeans. He's holding a tattered Dunkin Donuts cup which he's shaking as he makes his way to the other end of the car where the three heavies and I are.

There appears to be a bit of a problem. I turn down my music. As heavy # 1 holds the bag out to him he says, "Look miss, I'm a human being. I'm not gonna come running for the food" Heavy #2 screams, "But that ain't the point. Is you gonna eat the food. Cause if you gonna throw it away I can keep it." He sucks his teeth. As do I. She's not even the one with the food.

At that very moment another homeless man enters the train with a Dunkin Donuts cup. He's a younger man and doesn't look as if he's been homeless for very long. While the older, harder looking man argues with Heavy #2, Heavy #1 walk over to the younger guy and offers him the food, saying if he's going to discard it she would keep it. He gladly accepts and sits in a corner to eat it as the old guy turns around, highly annoyed at the exchange with Heavy #2, to take the plate. Realizing it has been given to someone else he groans and curses and storms off the train.

The 3 Heavies laugh, as do I. It was a bit comical. Heavy #3 asks of Heavy #1, "Why did u do that to that man?" Hand on hip, neck moving she says, "I didn't like his fuckin' attitude"



The moral of the story? Beggars shouldn't be choosy...or have an attitude.



*ding dong*

Thank you for riding the MTA

"Subway Series" ~Weekend Edition~

I'm a tropical baby. I hate to be cold. Winter can kiss my ass.


I've become spoiled. Everywhere I've gone lately has been in the comfort of a car.

It's the weekend. I despise the train on the weekend but my God son is almost here. It's party time! Well, shower time. Lol.

I'm rushing because I'm supposed to help set up. My make-up is simple but effective. My hair is a curly mess and I pin it up away from my face. I slide into my fur collared tweed coat, which falls just below my knees. It's a bitter 30 something degrees. I walk briskly to the train.

There are few people scattered about the platform. The train is approaching. It flies past the stop on the middle track. I roll my eyes as I read the signs posted: "Take downtown train and transfer to uptown service." I look at the people waiting on the platform and wonder how long they've been standing there as I run down the stairs to catch the train arriving across the platform to ride downtown a few stops and head back up.

I'm annoyed. The soulful tunes, playing in my ears, aren't doing much to calm me as multiple trains arrive and leave on the downtown side. Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen pass. The wind is whipping across my face and flapping my coat as I stand on the crowded platform with the other disgruntled commuters. A train arrives. Not my train of course.

A few minutes later my train arrives. We all bustle onto the train. I slide into a seat and watch the train fill quickly. The train leaves the station. I hear a few raised voices above my music. I look over and see two heavyset, middle aged women with bad weaves and lots of shopping bags engaged in what seems to be a playful conversation. (One of them is smiling) I lean back in my seat. The voices seem to be amplified. WTH?! I Notice the other passengers moving to my side of the train. I look around but it's become too crowded.

Then I see them. The same GROWN women who were having a heated discussion were obviously arguing a have now begun fist fighting.

My eyes open wide and my jaw drops in amazement. Are they serious? The are bouncing from one side of the train car to the other like a ping pong ball making their way through to my side of the train. Everyone moves further right. I remain seated, staring, and shaking my head with shame and embarrassment for these women. They are directly in front of me. They fall in my lap and almost pin me against the wall. I push them with all my strength off of me. They remain interlocked, pulling hair and throwing the occasional punch. I'm mortified. I scream, "Somebody do something!" I hear an older West Indian woman's voice say, "Separate them", then one brave West Indian man springs into action. He tries to separate them to no avail. Another man joins him. They have no success.

Finally they are separated. The African woman sits back in her seat, hair askew, clothes rumpled, while the other continues to try to go around the men who are blocking her way. She's yelling obscenities and pacing. She snatches off her coat and hat and throws it onto the empty seat beside me. This goes on for a few minutes before the first man says, "You want to fight so much fight me. Fight me." She is still trying to get to the other woman.

I hear a child's voice pleading, “Mommy stop it, please". OMG, she has a CHILD with her? The other woman is saying in a very heavy African accent, "I don't even know her. She's crazy"

Finally, the raging bull puts her coat back on and gathers her things while saying, "I'ma fuck her up. I don't care. Watch. I'ma get off whatever stop she gets off."

The train finally stops and they get off. Everyone is peeking out the windows and doors to see if she is going to keep her promise.

The doors close and the train pulls out of the station. The discussion starts. Everyone in the car joins in and gives their opinion.

One man says, "You gotta hustle. This ain't a game" I learn that the fight began over a seat. 

*ding dong*

Thank you for riding the MTA