MetroPark Station is Madonna-era historic-dating way back to 1980something. Lot's of brick, orange plastic seats and other hard surfaces. 'Cause we like lots of noise, John thinks, and two glass windows where commuters shuffle up to get their tickets...like zombies. Actually, in Thriller, the zombies had more life in them. They danced and lifted their stiff legs. Wonder if these people ever lift their legs, John thinks as a voice breaks his daydream...
Ticket Taker
'Sir you are next.'
John
Oh sorry, daydreaming. 'Monthly to New York'
Ticket Taker
'What month?'
John
'Well, September right? I'm starting work today.'
Ticket Taker
'Yes but it's half over. So you could get a Weekly or 10 Trip.'
John
'What's a 10 Trip.'
Commuter Behind John
'Jesus Christ. A 10 Trip is 10 trips in and out of New York. A Weekly is a week's worth of trips.'
John
'Ha Jesus Christ. 'I thought my middle name was Jesus Christ growing up. My dad was always saying 'Jesus Christ you don't hold the tool like that...you hold it like this.' Bill Cosby wrote something like that.'
Commuter from behind
Laughs 'Where are you working kid?'
John
'I'm a writer..in advertising.'
Commuter from behind & Ticket Taker
'Buy 1 Weekly...they'll give you a week before they fire you...even in that business.'
John
'How do I know what train to catch to New York.'
Commuter from behind.
'The train will say 'New York' on the front.'
John dashes up the two flights of stairs.
"I don't care if I am a writer for a week...I can say I was a writer in NYC.' John thought.
His obvious happiness seemes to annoy some of the other veteran commuters trudging upwards. All of which makes John jump-skip a few stairs like a child-mostly out of joy...and also to annoy them more.
The train platform is crowded with commuters. Already poised to get ahead, many men put their brief cases at the edge of the platform...in case the train doors would stop in front of them and they'd get in first. As another commuter train rapidly approaches, the business men bend over to pick up their brief cases at the platform's edge.
"Wierd, ' John thinks, when they bend down to pick up their brief cases, their heads are over the track.'
The train rushes by and the men put their brief cases down at the edge of the platform again.
Pete
'Don't worry about them. Even if the train took their heads off, they could still work in Finance.'
John looks questioning
Pete
(whispers) 'They think out of their asses.'
John
''It is wierd how their heads are over the tracks.'
Pete
'They push all day long. I work in the World Trade Center. Push at Starbucks...'
John
''I'm lucky..I don't have to push...just have to dress like a slob and be immature.'
Pete
'Nice work...what do you do?'
John
'I'm a writer.'
Pete
'Where?'
John
'Midtown'
Pete
'Thar's easy...you stay on the train until New York. I have to get off in Newark and take the PATH to the World Trade Center. Oh, here's the train. Check out the crowd. They are such tight asses...they can't even fart. Nice talking to you. Talk to me tomorrow if you want to.'
John
(Bats eyes at Pete ) 'You had me at fart.'
People don't really push onto the train 'cause that wouldn't be corporate-and they are already in the sneaky corporate mind-set. They manuever their bodies and perform slow-mo body checks...like in hockey. As John sits in the train's tightest seat, the one facing two other seats, he sees a young corporate type body- check an older lady into a wall. That accomplished, he scores the seat facing John. These seats are so tight, Johns left leg is between Mr Corporate's legs. John shows his pass as the conductor comes through and John looks out the window.
The train mostly moves forward but also sways side-to-side on the rails. This motion causes Mr Corporate and John's legs to sway and slap one another in the inner thighs. Mr Corporate man looks at John. John thinks, 'well you got your seat dude.' Then John imagines where he would have put his legs if the older lady had gotten the seat. Mr Corporate fidgets and decides to cross his leg. This pushes his butt to the edge of the seat where John's knee keeps hitting it. Mr. Corporate fidgets again and puts his leg between John's legs again.
Mr. Corporate
'Commuting sucks.
John
"I''m a people person.''
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