The good thing about Boston mornings

On a Cold & Frosty Morning via law_kevin

On my way into the office this morning, bundled against the cold, I ended up sitting in a seat on the train that was completely boxed in by other people. Of course, it wasn’t boxed in when I sat in it. In fact, it was surrounded by so much free space that I thought I would be free and clear all the way through to Downtown Crossing.

I made it as far as Charles MGH before a man, upon entering the train, decided the very best place for him to stand was directly in front of my knees. Screw the three empty seats on either side of me, and the row of empty seats across the aisle. Clearly, squeezing into my personal space and blocking my view of, well, everything was the way to go.

Before I could fully appreciate the ridiculousness of him, two ladies loomed towards me and squeezed in the seats my right, squishing me like a sardine. Absolutely awfsome.

Re-adjusting my bodyweight onto my left butt cheek in a pitiful attempt to get comfortable on the third of the seat that was left to me, I tried to pick up my place in my book of short stories. I read no more than three words when the ladies started having a loud, no-way-I-could-possibly-ignore-it conversation about New Moon (the film), and the Twilight series in general.

“I don’t like Renesmee,” one said.

I tried to focus my eyes on the page.

“That’s because you don’t like children,” the other said.

I turned my head away. Where was I, again?

“That’s not true. I know people who like kids...ish. They don’t like her either.” She said, adjusting further into her seat (I.e. my hip).

I looked up, into standing-too-close man’s belly. Forget reading. Simply not gonna happen.

“Well, I like her,” the other said.

“I like her as a vampire,” the first one said.

“Oh yeah,” the other said, “that part’s great.”

I wish this part of the train ride was too loud for conversation. The roaring engines is highly preferable to being stabbed in the ears by early morning twilight fan discussions.

“Yeah. Renesmee as a vampire is really cool. In fact...,” she said, but was interrupted by the announcement of the Downtown Crossing stop.

Thank god for small favors.

I opened my purse to put my book away (no way I was going to get more reading done in the next 30 seconds), purposefully slapping the standing-too-close man’s coat its strap. He hurriedly took a step back (finally, some air), and I made my escape – off of the train, out of the station, out into the cold, windy, gray morning light. Air so cold people weren’t stopping for conversation, or lingering on the sidewalk.

Which meant that for the next 10 minutes, I had the luxury of peace, quiet, and a crisp sense of freedom. Not a bad way to start a day.

Not bad at all.