It’s Friday morning and the weather here is crisp. Can’t wait to see the leaves turn and sip on some apple cider. I absolutely love this season!
As I stood on the platform waiting for the train, I could feel the chill of the wind fight its way through the tiny holes of my cotton sweater. I looked down the tracks to see the headlights of the train coming, thinking to myself, “Yep, timed it perfectly again, man I’m good.” 🙂
I jumped on the train and found an empty seat, which is rare these days since they cut a few trains to save money in this “rough economy”. I snuggled in and relaxed for the 30 min ride. After a few stops, the train began to hesitate. I didn’t think anything about it cause sometimes if the train is too close to the one in front of it, the conductor has to slow down and give it time. Well, it did it again at the next stop and the conductor said “Ladies and gentlemen, this train is now out of service, and everyone will need to de-board at the Forest Park Station.” Great, now I’m gonna be late for work. So I called the office and left a message for my boss letting her now that I’ll be a few minutes late.
But that wasn’t the interesting part of my morning. When we boarded the next train, it was already full, so we had to pack in the isles like a bunch of sardines. When this happens, it’s like people forget that the train is gonna move, so people don’t really hold on, and we all kind of fall into each other when the train takes off. I was one of those idiots today, and I fell into the lady behind me, but she was sweet and asked if I was ok. I was thinkin “I just fell into YOU, are YOU ok?” but I didn’t say that. I just told her yes, and thanked her for asking.
While I was standing there, there was a smorgasbord of smells that invaded my space (the space I was currently sharing with the rest of the sardines). Someone had definitely just finished off some weed before they got on the train, it was strong! I’m still feelin good…ha, just playin. I think the lady standing in front of me still had the smell of last night’s dinner in her hair, Asian Cuisine. From behind, the lady that asked if I was ok was killin some winter-fresh gum, she made MY breath smell good! Then there was this stinch that I couldn’t quite place. I was discretely looking around trying to find the owner of this smell, but I couldn’t. The next stop was the Central West End where all the doctors, nurses, students and professors get off because Barnes Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital are right next to the train station. I think the employees actually get free Metro passes to cut down on parking.
Anyway, after the mass exodus, I found a new spot, standing in the “foyer” section behind one section of seats and in front of another. As I leaned on the glass, I found the owner. A black lady in her 40’s or 50’s was sitting there taking up both seats, using the inner seat for her belongings. She had with her a grocery bag with about 3 different size coke bottles, most half empty and a broken styrofoam food box. Next to her bag were two big FedEx envelopes full of smaller FedEx envelopes with a couple of magazines and St. Louis tour brochures stuffed in. By the looks of her, she was homeless. She was wearing three shirts, had on shorts and flip flops and a black headband. She had one earring in the left ear that was an orange ball the size of a gobstopper in one ear and its twin was used as a nose ring (a completely different earring in the right ear).
If she was homeless, what would the FedEx envelopes do for her? I began to pay attention to what she was doing. She had in her hand a broken gold bracelet connected to a silver chain. She was bending the bracelet back and forth and couldn’t seem to get it to make a circle, so eventually she just left it. She held it up, and admiring her deformed, “stylish” pendent, she decided to put on her new piece of custom made jewelry. This whole time, I can hear her mumbling to herself and every now and then blurt a few curse words, giving off a big hearty laugh that would make people turn and stare. The gazes didn’t faze her.
She couldn’t get the necklace to fit over her head, so she left it there, snug over her headband. She was setting new trends with this broken pendant dangling in her face. Maybe she used to be a designer.
Maybe she used to be a school teacher or even a court clerk? a bagger at the grocery store, or a stay at home mom? Who IS this woman? Who WAS this woman, and how did she get here. Where was she going? Did she have a destination, was she going to visit family, or was she just along for the ride?
She stayed busy after finishing her new jewelry. She moved on to shuffling her papers. She would move papers and envelopes from one place to another as if preparing for a very important meeting.
Then all of a sudden we hear the annoying voice of the metro officer “I NEED TO SEE ALL TICKETS, PASSES, OR TRANSFERS PLEASE!” I’m convinced that their system is all about making money. Why not have everyone pass through some type of gate and swipe their cards to get onto the platform? Instead, they randomly send officers on the trains to catch people who didn’t purchase or forgot their tickets. If you’re caught, it’s a quick 80.00 fine. Another money maker, oh well.
I was anxious to see what the lady would do to my teacher, designer, clerk, sahm. Would she treat her like she was treating everyone else? Or would she do the expected?
The expeted. “YOU NEED TO GET OFF!” Loud and clear causing everyone to look. She said it a second time and tapped the lady on the shoulder.
“Don’t touch me!” she mumbled as she gathered her belongings. When she got up, she grabbed the blanket that she had been sitting on. I wonder if that’s what she covered up with on the street? She got off the train and walked away from the officer. Didn’t seem that the officer cared either as she was occupied by a passenger caught without a ticket – she would get some money from that one.
So I was left to my thoughts for the remainder of the trip, accompanied by the stinch left in the seat. Just like us, she was a person who will make a mark, whether good or bad. Makes me think about how life can so easily turn for better or for worse. What’s keeping me from becoming that woman or what will cause me to be her? As I sit here writing this blog I’m encouraged to ponder God’s grace today.
Here’s the pic, wish i could have gotten one from the front.
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the yancies 
