So, this morning on the train I was entertained by two conversations happening on either side of me. Behind me were the two middle-aged black guys who apparently didn't know each other before today. One was expounding his theories on life and honor and survival in the city, while the other chimed in with vehement "Mm-hmms!" as needed. I learned that all sorts of different behaviors committed by friends of Guy #1 were bullshit, and that sometimes men, they like they women to beat up on them--sounds crazy, but you know it's true ("mm-hmm!"). Meanwhile, the couple standing next to me was having a fight, and over the course of the trip I figured out that she's a lazy slacker who routinely makes them late for work by sitting around watching TV instead of getting ready to go. Today they were so late that they couldn't find parking at the lot near the train, so she blew up at *him*. She spent most of the trip apologizing, asking him rote questions such as "Can you forgive me?" and "How can I make it up to you? Can I make you breakfast every day next week?" She clearly didn't take his anger seriously, and everything she said sounded like she learned it from Days of Our Lives. She also kept snuggling up to him, and every time he told her to back off. She got off the train before him, and I glanced over to see what appeared to be a very nice young man, professional but not stuffy (possibly DePaul student), who was very sad about how his life was turning out. I wanted to tell him he's better off without her.

Slices of life, man. These are the things people who drive to work miss out on.


- posted by Diane @ 8:57 AM