Sunday, February 13, 2005

New York (III)

It's about 1 AM on Sunday morning and I am on the train back to my friend's house. I almost missed that train, arriving in Grand Central Station with only a few minutes to spare. There were young kids dancing hip-hop for the benefits of late commuters but I was to anxious to get back home to watch for long.
I find a seat quickly in front of a woman watching a DVD on a tiny screen. A man with broad shoulders and a clean shaved face comes by. He is wearing a two-ways radio that sizzles from time to time. He obviously knows her and it becomes clear very quickly that they both work for the train company. She asks about the conductor on duty, laughs at the answer and talks to the man in a coded language where train are named by letter and numbers. It sounds something like "I worked the C-28 during the week, I'm just doing the D-212 for the weekend."
The conductor shows up and joins the conversation. They're all having a good time and I wonder when the train will leave when a brief look at a watch brings everybody in position. The conductor leaves saying "I have a job to do". The broad-shoulder man jumps out of the train. He is staying at the station. The train leaves soon after.
When we reach the "Botanical Garden" stop, the woman exits the train and I hear conductor announcing over the sound system "Bye Jo-Ann. Everybody says bye to Jo-Ann". Some people behind me are laughing.

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