On my way home from an evening with a certain male person, I had to wait 30 minutes for the A train because it was 'late night' hours. Because of the delay and it being that time of night, the train was loaded, not rush hour crotch to buttocks to elbow to what was that? loaded. But we stood shoulder to shoulder with space between most rider's genitals--which is something one does not complain about. While I squeezed myself in through the doorway I heard shouting at the other end of the car. Great. I tried to push in as far as I could to the opposite direction. I didn't get far, just to the end of the handrail so I barely stood between the seat aisles. The shouting grew louder.
.... I ain't your baby's mama!...You want a bullet in the mouth?...You call the P! Go ahead and call them! I'm licensed to carry! I'm licensed to carry! I'm licensed to carry! You think I'd talk trash if I wasn't? ... You get out at that stop! That's not your stop! No you get out at that stop! You get out!... I'm going home to my baby!......
Hearing someone with whom you are trapped in an enclosed space shout that they are licensed to carry after threatening to kill someone is not the most pleasant way to end an otherwise pleasant evening. Some people rolled their eyes. Some people clucked their tongues. Some strained to look over the heads to see what was happening. Most of us grimaced in annoyance. But the conductor didn't shut the doors. He announced the train was being held. Nice. Eventually the woman's tirade worked its way around to "I'll get out at this stop! I'll get out!" A teenage girl sitting near me clapped. There was grumbling. I yelled out, 'Please!'.
She did not stop screaming or swearing at that man for one second. A few new voices mixed in and then she changed the direction of her abuse. I looked around the car at people's faces, both annoyed and bemused. Just another night in the city. I wondered what people from exotic places would think of it? That made me chuckle. I was in a good mood, though I kept my hackles up. She probably didn't have a gun but she did threaten to shoot someone and was less than 20 feet from me.
After 10 minutes or so she got off the train. We couldn't see her but we could hear her shouts echoing through the tunnels. A few people cheered. Then she came back on the train. Then off. Then on. Then off. Still shouting and cursing. She stood in the doorway awhile. Finally she walked down the platform. I saw the head of a cop go by the windows, walking the platform in the same direction. And a minute or two after that, while we could still hear her yelling, the train doors closed. The car collectively sighed with relief.
Next Post: I'm finally over it enough that I can finish the Tainted Love story and tell you all what happened in Atlanta in October. I apologize for leaving you hanging, I thought I could write it but it was too hard.
