Voyeur



Perhaps it’s a sick hobby, but I adore people-watching.  Birds all look the same.  People are amazing.  We’re frail and guarded and vulnerable and stoic.  Never more so than on the subway. 

It’s such a bizarre conceit:  we’re all crammed together, sometimes so tightly that we touch, but we’re bound by social constructs not to talk to each other.  Not only that, we’re barely supposed to LOOK at each other.  Is it sad?  Lonely?  Isolated?  Maybe.

But even without words or eye contact, we share so much with fellow passengers that words are almost unnecessary.  We can hear each others’ music through headphones.  Smell each others’ perfume.  Feel the soft, cushy coats we’re squished in next to. 

If someone sneezes on the subway, someone will invariably bless them.  If coffee is spilled, a napkin is offered.  If tears are shed, a Kleenex is passed.

We’re not alone.  We’re not aloof.  We’re screaming in our heads but underground, we’re quietly stewing out of mutual respect for people we’ve never even met and will probably never meet again.

Take that, birds.


6 responses to “Voyeur”

    • I know! I watched her for half an hour, it was fascinating. I learned a whole new way to apply mascara!

      I tried to get a photo of this one guy in all neon orange and tan leather. Alas, he was making too much eye contact with everyone to take a picture without his notice!

  1. Oooo girl! I love this! I can totally relate. I take the Metro all the time in DC and I love to people-watch. I always have so many thoughts going through my head as I look at everyone. It always makes me want to write something like you've written. <3

    • Thank you so much! I always thought there was something magical about the subway – almost like being on a plane! I love playing games, like "guess which stop people are getting off at" and I'm pretty good at it!

    • Taking photos on a lurching and bumping train is a lot harder than it looks! You can't see it really well, but she has the coolest ring on, it's like the size of a golf ball and soooo sparkly…however, I couldn't photograph it without being obvious!

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