Tight-Knit

This morning, sat next two two women, strangers, who were sewing and knitting. I inquired about the projects; the knitter was making a little cap for a friend's baby boy, the "sew-er" was stitching a bow on a first communion dress. I was amazed at their steady hands as the LR car shook down the tracks...

Loud & Begging on the Cell

The guy two seats in front of me was trying to pull out a tree stump earlier and fell into a stream with his phone in his pocket...and wants to know why his girlfriend isn't more sympathetic and doesn't have dinner ready!!! But can she give him a ride to work tomorrow, please, Babe? As usual, I know all of this now because the cell phone call echoes across the train car...

You Meet All Kinds...

It's standing room only on the train this morning...and the guy sitting "below" me has a bike chain lock around his neck, spindly, wild teeth that look like the Grinch's when he smiles, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head when he asked me, "what time is it in our world here?" Interesting fellow...

!6th Street Station: Transfer Point Between Humanity & Insanity

If there is a regional transit-place where cultures, tastes, habits - AND dysfunctions - mix, it is the 16th st. LR station downtown. Riders waiting to go east - and south; smoking cigars, dancing to an internal beat, arguing with a mate, chugging an energy drink...and even sending a big ol' hocking loogie to the pavement to mark one's territory! 16th st station is the crossroads of humanity and insanity...

First, a Boy and a Girl Love Each Other...

Precious young mother sitting w/ 2 toddler boys, talking about motherhood: "We had this one first, and then we had this one 6 months later.". "SIX months later?," I ask. "Yeah, 6 months. He's younger." I say, "Well, they USUALLY come 9 months apart." "Oh yeah. 9 months, I guess," she shrugs. "I don't really remember." Lord, watch out for this little girl + her little ones.

Wired for Transit

The guy sitting next to me is listening to his iPod, alternately texting and taking calls on his cell phone, and reading what appears to be (as I look over his shoulder) a Sue Grafton novel...on his Kindle! A 21st century man right there...

Light Rail Literaries

I LOVE doing a census of what people are reading on the train - a quick eye sweep shows books from Clive Cussler, Dean Koontz, Dr. Oz, the Daily Guideposts, and the lady next to me is reading an old library book called "Women + the Conquest of California." The chapter she is on is entitled, "Ladies Evangelizing While Crossing the Plains.". I'm reading along over her shoulder... :)