Crazies in Crazytown

Sometimes I forget that I live in a city of 8 million people....and then I find myself waiting for the train home, near a couple of random "crazies".

Now, I know that is not a very politically correct term, and you'd think I'd be more sensitive to labels since I am in a field that wants to break down labels. But I'm sorry, these two particular people I saw tonight were just crazy. First, I'm minding my own business, playing Solitaire on my phone (it's the one game I'm good at cause I play against myself). All of a sudden I start hearing a slew of curse words coming out of someone's mouth, someone very near by. I actually passed this man when I first got to the platform and heard him talking, and thought maybe he had phone reception and was talking on his Bluetooth or something. I obviously didn't hear him then. He just kept repeating the same three cuss words, and it sounded as if he was threatening someone. Naturally, I tried to look at my surroundings to make sure I was far enough away from him. I pulled out my headphones and turned on some music to drowned him out. I also moved just a little bit further away.

Then, there was another guy, similar distance to me. He had a briefcase and was reading a newspaper. Nothing unusual. But then I started to see pages of the newspaper slowly fall onto the subway tracks, like, intentionally. I slyly glance over, using my peripheral vision, and sure enough, he's doing it on purpose. It was as if the train tracks had ticked him off and he was getting back at them. But wait! This angst against the train tracks spread to the actual train, as it arrived. He got closer to the platform edge as it approached and stuck his head out, like he was playing a game of "chicken" with the train. I couldn't believe my eyes! And then, before the doors opened, he started pounding on the windows with his fist! It was crazy. I wonder what the people inside must've thought. Probably something like, "Who is this crazy guy pounding on the window of the train? Am I safe?!" That's what I would've thought. It was so strange.

At that point, I had moved away from both of the crazy men and stepped inside the next subway car over. To be honest, I looked around once or twice, to make sure they didn't somehow change cars mid-run (people do that all the time, walk in between cars while the train is moving). But alas, they had not moved trains. I don't know where they got off, but I looked around when I did. Not that I was in imminent danger, but seriously, these days, you can't be too careful, right?

p.s. Mom, I know you're reading this. Don't worry, I'm safe. :)