"People Are Stupid"

Okay, I commute by train to one of my jobs a couple of days a week. My inbound trip is easier than the return trip because I get on at the first stop at my end. If you time it right , you can have your pick of seats. I prefer a corner seat because they have slightly more room on one side. If possible , I like to be seated on the side that faces the Back Bay over the Charles River when it emerges from the tunnel at Kendall Square. That is my favorite veiw of Boston and I never get tired of seeing it. I always feel like the kid I was; next to my Grandmother kneeling on my knees looking out the window. But this blog isn't about warm and fuzzy memories or the glories of Boston.

This is about people. This is about people who don't care about the other humans around them and fear of being singled out or expressing an opinion. The commute home from work was typical. When I get to the platform , it's crowded, which means there hasn't been a train for a while. And by " while" I mean the trains should be running between 7 -10 minutes during heavy commuting times. So, there hadn't been a train for at least 7 minutes by the time I got there and I waited at least 5 minutes. Yeah, go ahead , snicker "5 Minutes" you say "As long as 5 minutes ? " Go ahead snicker, at least I'm taking a train. You probably have to drive everywhere because you don't have as good public transportation as we do here in Boston. Again, this is not a showcase for the glories of Boston . . . but I do think we are blessed.

So, the next train pulls in , it's pretty crowded. You have to let people off the train first but there is always some yuppy little girl with an IPOd stuck in her ears or some old lady who thinks she's going to get a seat if she gets on there before everybody else (No, I am not referring to myself) blocking the exit of the passengers. It only makes the whole off/on process longer and less efficient. So, I've waited for the people getting off the car, and the people ahead of me getting on. We are shuffling because you can't stride. Also , the people inside the train don't move into the middle of the train so we're all scrunched up in the area in front of the doors so you can't get past them. The people who won't move into the middle of the train are no more comfortable than the people who just got on, it's stubborness, ignorance and stupidity. I've just gotten one foot into the train when this lady with a baby carriage (she's also listening to an Ipod) shoves my ankle and yells (probably because the music in her head is so loud) "Get out of the way ! I have to get on the train ! ". To which I retort, loudly, "Excuse me ! I didn't see you BECAUSE YOU WERE BEHIND ME "and then I muttered the "C" word out loud and then shut up. For all I know there wasn't really even a baby in that carriage, I couldn't see it. I hadn't actually even seen her on teh platform. She had to have come off the elevator. Anyway , I'm steaming. I am ready for a fight. She doesn't say anything more and probably could care less who she ran over , she was on the train, screw everybody else.

So, I'm looking around. Nobody is daring to look in my direction. I probably look a little Homeless/crazy. I am wearing my friend's brother's hand me down coat and it is somewhat tattered looking by now. The back of the coat is torn and I've been meaning to get a new coat, but I'm really attached to the rag. So, I've extablished myself as crazy by my loud response to the lady and I look unstable, I'm also carrying a couple of stuffed bags. I look over to the other side of the car and notice that everybody is standing and that there are about 5 seats next to each other empty. Usually , if no one is sitting down, there is probably puke or Starbucks latte all over the seats. I look more closely , and there is a guy laying down on the 5 seats , sleeping ! He is sleeping on the train during rush hour and no one has said anything to him ! A homeless guy is sleeping on the train and people are standing , after working all day , so the drunk homeless guy can get some much deserved shut eye ! I am incensed !!!! I say out loud , to no one in particular"Is that guy sleeping ?!!!!! And no one has said anything to him ?!!!!" No one says anything to me. Everybody is avoiding eye contact with me, I can't blame them, but it's still not right. To which the "Sleeping " guys responds, from his sleeping position, "I'll get up . Nobody said anything to me. You want me to get up ? I'll get up " But he doesn't he just stays in that prone postition. Now I'm disgusted by the people around me for not saying anything " NO, you stay there. You need your sleep. I can't believe no one has said anything to this guy ! " To which the sleeping guy responds "I'll get up . No one said anything. I'll get up " And he slowly starts to rearrange himself into a sitting position. "Come on ! Sit down . I'm up " Of course no one sits ., So , I go over and sit right next to him and he starts talking to me. "No one said anything. If someone said something , I would have gotten up "Though he smells of something -maybe alcohol and crack-he doesn't appear to be homeless. He's wearing current fashion and it is clean. His backpack is clean, so are his hands and face. He's cleaner looking than me. He starts talking with me saying over and over "Nobody said anything to me. I would have got up , if I thought it mattered to anybody. Nobody said anything to me. You know why nobody said anything ? Because people are stupid. If they said something , I woulda got up . Nobody said anything. Why ? Because people are stupid. And you know what ? The next stop is my stop." I wished him a Happy Valentine Day and he said " No Valentine for me " and said "Well, have a good evening then." Then we came to his stop , he staggered through the crowd and off the train.
And there you have it. Obviously, he knew he was taking up too much space which is why he was talking with me. Apparently , my speaking up somehow breached his own code of ethics. "UM, I'm gonna go to sleep here unless someone says something, then I'll get up ". No one said anything.
I know I should keep my mouth shut. But that lady rolling over my ankle with her "baby" carriage really set my nose out of joint. Why didn't anyone say anything to this guy ? If someone has their precious bag on a seat , I'll start to sit on it. Seats are for people , not luggage. I don't care what your SAT's are. Conversely, I've given my seat up to plenty of old ladies and pregnant women when the strapping young man on his way to the gym wouldn't give his seat up .
What is wrong with people ?