Underground
The platform, always too brightly lit and always a stark contrast to the tunnel at either end.
I like to stand back from the caution line, near the tiled wall but not against it and wait to feel the train approaching.
I feel the train approaching before I hear it and then look in the direction I sense it’s coming from.
I hear the train approaching before I see it, a low growling tone, mechanical yet primal.
Head lights glow yellow-white from deep within the tunnel and suddenly my adrenaline peaks as I’m blasted by the driver’s car breaking through the still platform air and subsides just as quickly as each car, in succession passes ’till the train stops.
Unbelievably, the car is brighter than the platform causing me to wince but it passes quickly. Next comes the small thrill from the realization that any reasonable expectation of privacy has vanished. This is the people watcher’s wild fancy realized.
Standing offers minimal distance and a bit of a height equating to an advantage for people watching. I view a film over this one’s shoulder -noting the make and model of laptop used. I read a novel over the other’s shoulder – noting the book cover design and coloring. I study this commuter’s worn shoes, the run in that one’s stocking. I note this one looks sickly, another exhausted, a third nibbling anxiously at the skin around their finger nails and a fourth who’s hyper alert. I wonder where the others are going. Heading out? Heading home? What awaits them at either?
I never tire of the partial conversations despite the language spoken. I never tire of watching the others watching me, avoiding eye contact or nodding off in their seats – heads bobbing in synch with the train and fingers twitching through periods of REM while racing along the rails.
I’ve no idea how many miles of grey cement, burnt umber track or white tiles rushed past during my life but the world’s problems, friends’ problems, problems that stalk me daily but I deny… all left above on the street.
Down below, inside the overly bright cars, we all travel in the same direction, at the same speed, each drafting our thoughts, crafting our plans, constructing our dreams for our lives above ground.
This is beautiful. I love riding the metro. It’s such a different experience for me since I didn’t grow up with public transportation. Great post!
Christy – I do love trains and no matter how often I use them, each ride is unique. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
great description of the tube! I’ve been using the tube daily for the past 5 years and I still find it an interesting journey. If you love the tube, try to get the District Line from Barking in East London going to the west, you’ll find a spectrum of people. On weekdays particularly during rush hour, a lot of people avoid eye (or any) contact whatsoever. Come weekend, Londoners are a bit more relaxed.
Amer, I know that line well now and you’re right there are some characters to watch. *grin*
You should hold a vote for the coolest subway system in the world. I like Moscow’s. Washington’s is kind of cool. But Seoul’s is more interesting. I remember one time being in a subway car there with another westerner. We were being stared at and laughed at by a throng of youths, typical experience for westerners in those days. We stared back, pretended to whisper in each other’s ears, and laughed heartily. It seemed to scare the poop out of them. They stopped staring and stopped laughing, eyes big and round.
Ah – You reprobate!
I’m the one nodding off in her seat… what a good post!
Thanks, next time I’ll give you a nudge
Your descriptions remind me so much of my own experiences on the metro in Mexico City. Especially the paragraph about taking in bits and pieces of conversations and “watching the others watching me.” I really enjoyed this!
A subway is one of the most entertaining parts of living in a city. I do miss that. ¡Le deseo un día hermoso!