Penn Station, LIRR Terminal, Saturday,...
Violinist: (to seated man) Is there something you’d like to hear?
Seated man: (thinks for a minute) Cold Mountain.
Violinist: I’m sorry?
Seated man: Cold Mountain. You know, with Nicole Kidman? It’s got a violin song.
Violinist: Oh. ...I’m sorry, I don’t think I know that one.
Seated man: (thinks again) What about Cradle of Filth?
Violinist: Crater of...?
Seated man: Cradle of Filth. They’re a metal band. Sometimes they have a violin.
(silence)
Seated man: But mostly they just yell.
Violinist: Oh. ...I know Yesterday, by the Beatles. Would you like to hear Yesterday?
Seated man: (dejectedly) No.
Violinist: No? (priming background music) Well, this is an aria by Puccini—it’s really quite beautiful; I think you’ll like it.
Seated man: (gets up, walks to Cinnabon)
Apr 22nd
Babylon Train - Thursday, March 6, 2008...
Apparently Off-Duty Mailman: (On phone, menacingly) . . . so I told her, 'You don't clean up that spill, I'm a gon' straight-up CHOKE you.'
Guidos: (adjacent seat, giggling)
Mailman: . . . and she's all like, 'You wouldn't talk to yo' mommy dat way.'
Guidos: (giggling)
Mailman: . . . and I told her, 'don't TALK to me 'bout my family. You don't know NUFFIN 'bout my family.'
Guidos: (giggling louder)
Mailman: . . . I don't TALK to my family. When we get together, we don't talk or nuffin. We just sit dea. TALK! Like we a fuckin' TV show or somethin'? God DAMN!
Guidos: (laughing, texting each other)
Mailman: (Glowers at guidos)
Guidos: (blanch, silently exit train together)
Apr 11th
Penn Station Dunkin Donuts, 11 pm, April...
Clear Heels: Antny, this ain't the way to Tequila Sunrise. Are we goin' to Tequila Sunrise? Antny? ANTNY!
Vertically Striped Shirt: No.
Clear Heels: Well why ain't we goin'?
Vertically Striped Shirt: Cause I don't wanna talk to ya fat skank friend Marcy.
Clear Heels: Ya treat me like garbage, ya know that?
Vertically Striped Shirt: Not now, babe; we're in New York City.
Apr 9th