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What’s the wackiest, funniest, scariest and/or most inspiring thing you’ve ever seen on the subway? Share your stories here!
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What’s the wackiest, funniest, scariest and/or most inspiring thing you’ve ever seen on the subway? Share your stories here!
I was waiting on the platform when a man with a guitar started singing. Normally I start my iPod around that time, but this guy was GOOD! I was stuck there for several minutes and really enjoyed him so handed over $5. Guitar Man smirked and thanked me, which I foolishly thought would be the end.Turns out I stood a little too close before getting on the train…[Guitae Man was in his late forties with torn 80s jeans and a very long gray ponytail down to his butt-I am 26]….Guitar Man: Are you Irish? Me: Yeap, the freckles gave me away right? Guitar Man: (smiles bearing a row of mangled brown teeth) Oh baby, if you were my woman I would treat you right. I mean it, man I would treeaatt you right. Think about it.
Lesson relearned, just turn on my iPod.
I was once on the train and there was a strange looking man sitting next to me who kept looking at me. I made several annoyed faces at him and rolled my eyes so much I think some one else on the train thought I was having a seizure. Turns out the guy was just interested to see what book I was reading, and then we had a great conversation about this little-known scifi writer for an hour. It was so great to have my preconceived notions be proven wrong!
N train to Coney Island. Me and several friends were wearing my Metrocard costumes and on the way to the Mermaid Day parade. After a few stops several scantily clad young girls got on and sadly! had to stand (model)the entire trip. More and more people packed the train and everyone was talking when a Mariachi band boarded the train and started to play over the chaos. It was a great mix of people, purposes, talking and music and everyone either enjoyed or ignored the band/the costumes like it was completely normal.
Ahh the memories on the subway…too many to count. I have met my fair share of interesting people. Smelled my fair share of interesting scents. I have been into a car on a random subway during a random hour of a day and then ran into people who I havent seen since grade school. But I think my favorite memories have been the ones I have created with friends (tear).
In all seriousness, when I am on the subway, I think I do more guessing of the people around me and always seem to find the tourists who are looking for routes and ways to get around.
I think I should start hanging out with the flipcam crew and meet your interesting peeps!
If there’s no mariachi band, I consider it a successful ride.
I like the mariachi band!!
As an artist the moments the inspire me the most are those when new ads or signs or graffiti are displayed throughout our underground jungle… Each sign may mean something to one person and to the next it may be the wake up call in a phrase that they needed…
Also, love those stressful moments when your in a stressed mood trying to get somewhere when a classful of 40 ten year olds packs your train, acting like kids do… the stress slips away and laughter takes over… life on the train, a magical place.
A movie I was in had a short commercial run at the Quad Cinema in Union Square. A friend of mine took the subway with me to go and share my few minutes of fame. We got on the train in the middle of the car and noticed a homeless man with his “bubbe basket” of belongings at one end. The car didn’t smell any different because of him and he wasn’t bothering anyone, so we decided to stay. Then a trio of European twenty-somethings got on our car and started playing drums, so it was all quite exciting.
I looked back to the homeless man who had now put a bed sheet over his entire body, including his head (this happened in September, so it was no Halloween costume). There was a golf-ball sized hole in the sheet, and all of a sudden a multi-colored scarf was pushed through it from the inside. Either a magic show was about to begin, or Mr. Homeless Man really wanted his privacy. My friend and I start seeing movement under the sheet…and I can’t help but think of what personal things he could be doing in the privacy of his subway seat…!!!
We look back to the drum circle – fun is still being had, but now the beat has ended. I hate to admit it, but I had to look back to see what was going on with our homeless friend.
The sheet was now half-way down; covering his legs, but revealing his completely bare-chested body! He proceeded to wipe his bald head with an overused paper towel…or napkin (?). He was bathing. And had the sweetest smile on his face. I mean, who wouldn’t be happy to get clean?
Completely shocked and also immensely entertained, we approached 14th Street where my friend and I got off the train… as well as our homeless friend. But everyone gets off at 14th Street, right? Since we got to the theater early, we go and grab a drink. Maybe 45 minutes later we go to the movie and wouldn’t you know it, Homeless Man is in the theater seeing “my” movie!!! I guess he has good taste. Sadly, he didn’t stay for its entirety. I guess there were too many depictions of homeless people. Maybe he was offended.
I think the A train has the most interesting array of characters. There is a particular man on my train who always ends up on my car on the commute to work. He has written a special song that basically consists of 4 notes. It is REALLY REALLY CATCHY. I was singing it one morning when I woke up. There is another gentleman who pushes a tree around in his cart. Talk about going green. It is always nice to see plants in the subway, though.
My train got trapped one time and we were just sitting there in-between stations for about two minutes before I realized I had started humming “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded Houses. My buddy looked at me and nudged me and, because we figured why not, we both started bopping our heads and singing it out loud together. Several people around us started laughing and a couple of college kids joined in and we all sang together a full verse and chorus before the train started rolling again. A fun, random memory.
For me the most inspiring moments always happen when someone comes on your train car and announces they are going to sing/play an instrument. There is always that moment of dread where you fear they are going to be awful and make the train ride more annoying. But sometimes they start to sing or play and they are great! It is always such a pleasure and really inspiring!
We love those moments too!
I was riding the F train when a guy got in my car and lay down in the seat across from me. After a while he… ummmm… started loosening his bowels and his bladder… EVERYWHERE! Everyone ran to the other side of the car, and at the next stop every person jumped out.
That is disgusting.