who raises these people

Well of course the trains were extremely fucked up this morning. They sent us on a wild goose chase trying to figure out how to get where we wanted to go. These interruptions in service used to be more distressing to me but then I realized every minute I spend waiting on the train is one less minute I have to spend in front of my computer at work. I just sort of go with the flow and if I am late, who cares? None of my bosses ever come in early enough to notice. And besides the MTA does the best they can and while I am annoyed I am late for work some MTA employee was probably getting fired or yelled at or cursed at for something that wasn't even their fault.

Due to a fire at the East Broadway stop every F train had a mind of its own. Not even the conductors knew what was going on. I am always amazed at how feisty people get so early in the morning. I tend to glide to work half asleep ignoring anything and everything until about 10:00. I suppose if you have a big meeting or they are watching you like a hawk you had better get to work on time. But if that is the case then I would suggest you leave a little extra time getting to work in the morning. Especially when there is a weather advisory. Not that the weather had anything to do with the delays but had they given themselves extra time this morning because of the storm that was supposed to come they would not have been in such a hurry. On a morning when delays are expected even if the delays were caused by something else they were still "expected" so you should have been prepared. I'm just saying, that's all.

Anyway, I always let those crazy people who must get to work as soon as humanly possible pile into the train before me. (I just don't get it, who ever wants to get to work that bad? If the trains aren't running it isn't your fault. Surely they can't fire you for that. Just enjoy being late.) If they want to get on that hot, stinky, crowded car just to be at work all day...go right ahead. You know who you are. Everyone knows who you are. The ones with a crazy look in their eye determined to get into the car as if the train standing in the station is the very last train ever! They push and shove and move from car to car trying to find space that isn't there. They also always seem to have an enormous back pack that of course prevents the doors from closing making everybody just that much later to work.

They annoy the crap out of me. They hold the doors open and look inside to see if they can fit. They never can, but they always try. They squeeze into a space that they have no business squeezing into all while knocking over innocent bystanders. They make it almost impossible for the people already in the train to stand. As a smaller person I am always forced to feel the brunt of the situation. They think since I am small they can take up my space. Well I say we institute a new rule. It doesn't matter how big or how small you are you are only allotted so much room in the train. There is always some man who sees me and decides that I don't matter and tries to make my space in the train his. Well I was taught at a very young age not to give my space to anyone...so I don't budge and do my best to make him as uncomfortable as he is making me. I sure bet if I were a sweaty 300 pound smelly man they wouldn't want to get so close and would probably decide to wait for the next train.

They cause so much annoyance to everyone in the train and all because they need to get where they are going. Well news flash asshole we all need to get where we are going. The most frustrating part is that in most of these cases there is another (emptier) train arriving about 30-60 seconds later. I usually go for that one. So I really don't see the point in making life difficult for everyone else on the train because you can't wait another minute. Maybe it is just because I have zero responsibility and never have to be anymore remotely important, so I can't possibly understand what would possess people to be so brutish. Wait. I take that back. I have in fact had to be somewhere slightly important. And every time I do, even though I am only going someplace slightly important, I always leave extra time in case of any delays. Note to all those people who insist on holding up the train why don't you just do us all a favor and take a cab. But I digress.

Anyway what happened to me this morning was beyond rude. It was borderline assault. We are waiting for the train to take off and of course the car is stuffed to the gills. I am standing closest to the doors leaving plenty of room for people to get by. But at this point there is no room for anyone to get on the car. Hardly anyone is even attempting. I am standing there holding my breath in because there is barely room to breathe. I figure people can't be that dumb and no more people will try to get on. Then! All of a sudden out of nowhere this woman bends her knees and rams into me, with her elbow! I go flying into all the people standing in the middle of the car and let out a scream. It was like I had passed out and woken up in the middle of a WWF championship match.

"ahhhhhhhhh. EXCUSE ME!!!!!!" I was in shock. I'm still in shock! I had almost lost my balance. "well sorry." She said it in this tone like I should have expected her to push me. Like I was sooo unreasonably in the way that I needed someone to knock me down. Like I woke up this morning knowing some woman was going to try and take me out just for a spot on the train. Like she was doing everybody a favor by putting me in my place. Please. Actually everyone on the train was looking at HER like she was the crazy person. "Well you didn't have to elbow me. Do you really want to get to work that bad?" That is what I said. This attack couldn't be ignored. She didn't respond. I suppose she realized that her actions were a bit much. But probably not.

She disgusts me! She really felt entitled to MY spot on the train. With that short little blond bob that all women over 50 have. Yuck. Even all the makeup she was wearing couldn't cover up the years of sun damage. But now I am just being mean. But not even an "excuse me" and then a push? That, sure I can understand that. Say excuse me, and if I don't move, push me. Or push me and then say excuse me. But she just pushed with no excuse me and no warning whatsoever! Unbelievable. I have been pushed on the train before but never with such contempt, with such force. She had pure anger in her eyes. I am getting all riled up just thinking about it!

I can't even imagine what was going through her head. There was nowhere for me to go. Nowhere! And I am not just saying that because I liked where I was standing. There was really nowhere to go. The train was packed. And even if there was a small little space in the corner where I could have fit why should I go out of my way to make room for someone who has no concept of human decency. For someone who literally just pushes people out of the way just because they can. Everyone was already frustrated enough and she has to come along and make everything worse.

What did she want me to do? Go sit on someone's lap? There is always another train coming. Always. Every time one leaves the station there is ALWAYS another one on the way. Always. It might take a while but it always comes. She didn't look that important. Where did she really need to be? If you are that late for work that you need to body slam someone to get there set your alarm a little earlier. It is just unbelievable. Who raises these people? Where does she get off? I wish I knew how to upload video clips because I would make one just to show you all how out of hand it was. I was practically launched into mid-air.

This woman should be pretty glad I am a non-violent kind of person because the thoughts that went through my head were vicious. She is also lucky I am not crazy. You never know these days. You can't go around pushing random people. What if I had been some kind of lunatic? What if I had had a gun and her attack was enough to send me on a shooting spree? What if I had some kind of chemical imbalance and she was the one to push me over the edge. Sure I look harmless but she better watch out or one day she is going to knock over the wrong person. That isn't a threat. I'm just trying to help her out.

So the doors close and we are on our way. I got pushed to the back and was holding on for dear life to a pole that was almost out of reach. I managed to compose myself. I didn't want there to be any question in anyone's mind as to who was at fault in this situation. As I did my best to play victim I entertained all the terrible things I could do to her in my mind while I made nasty faces at the back of her head. "May she be well" I kept saying in-between thoughts of cursing her out and visions of me knocking her down as hard as she knocked me. I decided to just leave it all to Karma. Things usually work themselves out. Besides there were witnesses and I wouldn't want to get into any kind of trouble.