The Train Game

I was walking to my car this morning, miserably cold, and two thoughts came to me, consecutively.

Thought #1: "Oh, I'm so glad I don't have to walk all the way to the subway."

Thought #2: "But oh, I kinda miss public transit."

I love the subway. Love it. I love the idea of it, how it saves the environment while bringing people together at the same time. I love that a homeless man can sit next to a CEO and it's not weird or special or newsworthy. I love the time that the subway lends me, to read a good book, to finish a crossword puzzle, or to remember how much I love the old songs on my iPod.

And I love the people. I am an avid people watcher, and the subway provides me with the most interesting subjects. Everyone is so different and weird and beautiful. They all have a life story that I can make up. They have interesting clothes and hair and faces and sometimes I even see their smiles, and when that happens it's amazing.

People don't often smile on the subway. This is not news. I think it strange, though, and something that should be remedied; so a few years ago, I made up a game.

Rule #1: Stand on the subway platform and wait for a train to arrive.

Rule #2: Select an individual. Preferably one who seems to be looking out the window in your general direction. Bonus points if they seem really grumpy.

Rule #3: As soon as the doors to the train close, look that person directly in the eye and smile as big as possible. Don't lose eye contact until the subject is out of sight.

In most cases, the subject will have one of two reactions. Either they will immediately avert their gaze and spend the rest of the time at the station avoiding the window at all costs, or they will briefly see me, look away, and then carefully look back. In this second situation, invariably I will see a smile form on their face a split second before we lose eye contact.

It's magical.

I like to imagine what happens afterwards. Do they go back to being grumpy? Or is it like that McDonald's commercial when one person sees a Big Mac and they are inspired to buy one as well and the idea of the Big Mac goes international, eventually feeding the whole world? It's probably just like that. I'm making the whole world smile.

I need to run some errands this afternoon, and I'll be driving Bella, my Pontiac Pursuit (lovingly bestowed upon me by my beautiful and amazingly sassy Grammie Esther a year before she passed away). I'm thankful for this car, and for the freedom that comes with it, but I hope that Bella doesn't keep me from the world. I hope that every once in a while I'll choose to take the train, if for no other reason than to play my silly game and see how many grumps I can jostle...