No More Missy Nice Girl!

Over the last four years, I have tried not to let the city harden me. I am a nice person and try to treat everyone with respect regardless of who they are. My biggest peeve about the train is when able bodied people stay seated and disabled or elderly stand. This morning I hop on the T and see a man in his 50’s with an ankle brace on and I happened to be sitting. I get up.

“Would you like to sit down?” I ask him.

“What…you think I’m too old to stand?” he screams at me like I just spit in his face or something.

“Oh no. I saw your brace. Would you like to sit?” I remain calm.

“You think I’m disabled now?” he screams back at me in front of a packed train and now everyone is looking at me.

“Absolutely not. I just didn’t want you to stand if you were in pain.” I say as I sit back down.

Everyone is silent. We go one stop and he gets off and the woman next to me tells me that I did the right thing.

Ok yes… I did the right thing but really, when people are like that, it really discourages me from being nice. The city hasn’t hardened me (too much) yet but I understand why people keep their heads down and keep to themselves. What is wrong with people that they scream out to people just trying to help?

Another Injury

This year, the MBTA and commuting is just beating me up! Yesterday, I get out my card and scan it at the gates to get into the T at North Station. The gates open for me to pass through. I am not dilly dallying (And I have just become my mom… dilly dally… oh boy). I am actually hustling as fast as I can because there is a huge line behind me. As I walk through the open gates, they close on me. I bruise easily so I think to myself “That’ll leave a mark.”

I totally forget about it until this morning when I am getting ready and notice a blood blister on my shoulder that is the size of a dime where the gate hit me- slash- closed on me. A blood blister… not a bruise…not a mark…a blister. Luckily the outfit I chose today has capped sleeves and I can deal with this mess later but I’m not happy. My train commutes need to stop beating me!

That is all!

You Love Me? Um...No!

As I approached the train station this evening,  I am checking in with my mom to see how her day went. I tell her I am entering the station and she lets me go. I am about to walk through the doors and the man in front of me makes a huge effort to hold the door for me and doesn't realize I am on the phone. He says "Let me get that for you!" As I am saying "I love you." To my mom.

He lights up and says cheerfully "You do?"

As I haven't had the best day ever I don't even try to let the poor guy down easy. I just give him this glare that reads "WTF?" While saying "Umm....NO!"

The poor guy walked away deflated and sad but really...who goes around telling strangers they love them? Not me my friend! Not me!