Stand Clear

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

How do people navigate through these ratholes? Why is everyone staring at me?

I want to look up but if I do I may catch the eyes of someone. Would that be too aggressive? Do people make eye contact here?

Should I stand? I should stand. Were these tracks laid on gravel? I'm going to fall. I am going to fall on this woman in scrubs next to me and she looks like she just ended a 10 hour shift. Or is about to start one. Either way. Don't fall on her.

*Errrrrkkkk* Is it safe to be moving this fast?

Sorry, excuse me, I didn't mean to-- haha... I'm just getting used to---sorry.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

I'm going to sit. It's bold. But I am going to sit. There are two seats right there.

It is fine.

Should I leave a space between me and this person?

Yeah, I should. I should respect their space.

Ok, or you could take that seat, I didn't just elbow through four people to get it. It's fine. You didn't see me. It's fine.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

I'm tired. Everything is exhausting. Looking at you people is exhausting.

Why are you looking at me? Why did you smile at me?

Now I don't know if I should smile back. I'll smile back. It's fine.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

Don't look at me.

I don't know who gave you permission to stand this close to me, but I revoke that approval. Take two steps back.

Why is your arm over my head to hold the bar? There is space for you to put your arm down next to mine. I am not that short. You are not that tall.

Get your armpit off my damn head.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

A seat! A seat!

Is that old woman going for it? Do I care?

I do care...

No. No I don't care. If I can beat her to it, it's mine.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

I just won't make eye contact. If I don't see her, she doesn't see me.

Old lady in front of me? What? Giant octopus? What?

Seamless ad. So funny, hahaha, yes Seamless, dying and moving to Westchester and owning a Volvo are equivalents!

What old lady?

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

She got off one stop later, anyway, she didn't even need the seat.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

Why do so many people live in this city? It should just be me here.

Me and like 500 other people maximum, and that's it. And those people would just be here so I can live normally and without too much hassle.

An MTA guy, a grocery person, a bodega guy, a taxi guy, a bartender, and me.

This is not the beginning of a joke. Sorry, that was misleading.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

Almost home.
Almost home.
Almost home.

Aaaand did you just sneeze on me?

Almosthomealmosthomealmosthomealmosthomealmosthomealmosthomealmosthome.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing doors please.

Home.

I just have to turn the keys and walk five feet and--

is my roommate trying to talk to me right now? No. Sorry.

*Ding* Stand clear of the closing door please.