Commuter Cynicism

Somewhere along the way I became a bit of a cynic. I know, it stinks but… at least I can admit it?

Why is this woman walking soooo slowly? Can’t she tell I’m trying to make a train? Whoops, she’s blind. Daily Karma Points Tally just went down 5 notches.
What’s this guy’s deal? Why is he looking at me so strangely? Oh, right; raspberry jam splotch on my white shirt.


Sometimes though, I am proven right, i.e. creepy driver en route to airport, that devilishly told me his girlfriend keeps him young at heart. This was after he told me about the trip he and his wife just took to Machu Picchu in January. So, it’s hard to tell.


This morning, a man sat down next to me on the train. I was happily reading April’s House Beautiful, (who knew wood had a comeback to make in the design world? Seems pretty traditional to me) when said man asked me what time the train arrives at Grand Central.


Argh! I knew I should’ve been listening to my ipod this morning! Nuts. Now I have to engage in conversation? Pff.


Sure enough, he started talking. After the ‘where do you live’ and ‘what do you do’ questions, he decided to tell me how he met his wife. From the beginning. I’m talking a decade’s worth of happenstances that led him to the bar where his future wife was seated.


At first, I rolled my eyes. Do I have ‘I’m a single girl and a sucker for how I met my spouse stories’ stamped on my forehead? Does it look like I am desperate for a pep talk on how to meet The One? Well, maybe.


At any rate, this guy ended up divulging a lot. He thinks he probably got married too soon. He wanted his (terminally ill) father to be there on his wedding day. It wasn’t ‘rocket ships and passion,’ but he’d found someone he respected; a true companion. He told me some days, you don’t love the person you married. Some days, you’re over the moon. But the steady secret it to respect them. Always.


I wasn’t really sure why he told me all this. Maybe it was just one of those mornings when he needed a friendly face to get some things off his chest.
Maybe he’s a nervous train talker.
Maybe he wanted to pass on the secret to happiness.
Or maybe…maybe he was just a nice guy, talking to a nice girl on the train.
Take that cynicism.
xo