Friday, December 6, 2013

Read this while looking like you are not reading this.

While in NY, my husband told me to people watch.  I think I am not only people watching, I am also watching other people, people watching.  I haven't lived in NY for a long time now so I have forgotten the fundamental rules of public transportation: don't make eye contact, don't talk to anyone and don't react to anything.  I guess I didn't forget the rules since I just wrote them but I am not really all that good at following them anymore.  I had to train myself when I moved to Florida to look directly at people and say "good morning".  Now I have returned to my roots of watching people but looking like I am not watching them... Or possibly I think I look inconspicuous but really look like a stalker.  Whatever, I don't live here so who cares.
Here's what has been observed.  Today while being alone on a subway car with one teenager, he glanced my way (rule breaker), I guess deciding I was harmless (am I? yes).  He then put his backpack down and started doing pull-ups from the middle bars on top of the train.  I wondered, would I do that if there were only one random person there to see?  Then I remembered I wouldn't do a pull-up if I was alone so of course I wouldn't.  I had been singing along with music before he got closer so la la la, I'd do that.
Yesterday I took the bus.  A man came on with a cat carrier and as soon as the bus started the cat started meowing.  This must have been a professional cat because it was clearly annunciating the word "MEOW."  Everytime the owner looked in the case the meows stopped and as soon as he lowered it again, "MEOW!!!"  I looked around.  No one said a word.  No one cracked even the smallest smile. No eye contact.  Do NOT acknowledge that someone just loudly meowed.  Meowing counts as communicating and is therefore breaking the rules of public transportation.  Shame on that cat!  Take his metrocard!  Eventually the guy sat down and put that cat on his lap and then no more meowing.  So I was amused by the cat but the people....now that is fascinating.  Those are big time New Yorkers and law abiding citizens!

1 comment:

  1. Update. Day 2 of people watching. The sign on the subway says "If you see something, say something." Well, I'm just going to say that nose pickers, you can not deter me from people watching (but you do make it less enjoyable).

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