Tag: enang ukoh

Thoughts I have while I commute

Hi Guys!

So I’ve thought long and hard about what my next post should be and I decided it should be about thinking. Trust me this wasn’t a lazy conclusion (okay maybe just a little bit) but you know how people always talk about the deep reflective moments they have in the shower, I thought I should give a little love to the deep reflections I have when I’m on the subway.

First of all I think there are 5 types of transit users; the people who read, the music listeners, the ad watchers, the people watchers and the sleepers. Clearly from this assessment I’m a people watcher. I observe subway interactions, and for the few stops where the subway goes above ground, I observe people outside and make up little stories about their lives. For example if you’re in the GTA you’ve probably gone past Old Mill station. There’s a lake that runs below and sometimes you’d see people in boats fishing. I always imagine that the people in the boats are having some really deep introspective conversation because those are the kind of talks you have on a lake really.

Anyhow, my thoughts usually begin once I enter the station. “The germs that are just thriving on the railings and door handles“, “What if the transit collector doesn’t see me put in my token and decides to make a scene? Then I’d look him/her square in the face and fight back. But what if they call the police cause they don’t believe me?” Of course this doesn’t happen so I proceed to the platform. “I hope the train isn’t full“, “I hope more people don’t get here before the train comes so it wouldn’t be full“-the train comes and its full-“I hope someone gets off soon“.

In the midst of these thoughts I have some major pet peeves though. First of all if I have to stand on the train then so be it but if someone leaves, I don’t see any real reason why I shouldn’t sit. Now of course there are times when you may really just not feel like sitting but brother why are you blocking the chair?! Are you saving the seat for your imaginary friend? Please if you’re not interested in sitting, let someone else access the seat. Thank you! My second pet peeve is really just something that gives me unnecessary anxiety. When an older person gets on the streetcar, my expectation is that they should sit as quickly as possible, especially when there are several available seats close to the entrance because once the streetcar moves you run the risk of falling but NO! some people would decide to walk past all the available seats till the streetcar starts moving then they start scrambling for a seat which would usually end up being the seat of someone who doesn’t want them to fall or the seat next to somebody. This point segues to my next issue, the people who sit next to you in a streetcar or train with several empty seats -_-. Maybe it’s just the need for human contact but seriously?!! in an empty streetcar the only seat you wanted was the one next to me?

I think of many other things when I’m in transit, where my fellow passengers are going, what their lives are like, what they must be thinking as they ride on, what they’re listening to, if they’re enjoying what they’re reading, why eye contact on the subway is so creepy, what crazy event could happen on my way to where I’m going and so many other things. Like I said, transit thoughts feel a lot like bathroom thoughts just with live characters driving them.

I’d really like to hear what thoughts other people have when they’re on the bus or streetcar or train or even in your car.