Damn My Propriety!
Sometimes I wish I was more of an eavesdropper.
Case in point: The other day I get on the subway, heading out to meet a friend for dinner. I have my iPod on, as usual. My hatred of crowds and public transport has made the iPod and reading material an absolute necessity when commuting or going anywhere in the city. At least a part of me gets to pretend I am alone, even when elbow to elbow with 100 people.
So it’s evening, and the subway is pretty empty. The end of the car I get on has only 3 people on it. One half-asleep Indian guy who absolutely REEKS of B.O. and curry, and two very attractive, but somewhat sleazy blondes in their late 20’s. They have pretty faces and ample curves shown off by tight clothes, but they both have too much makeup on, and I can smell their perfume from 10 feet away. Neither one was a real blonde. Still, if they walked down the street, you would see a long line of turned heads as they went by. I passingly wonder what they are doing on the subway. Girls like that usually have men to drive them around, or take car services. I also passingly wonder if they will think I smell because of the stinky Indian guy.
Amazing what occurs to you in the presence of attractive women.
Anyway, I sit down, pull out a comic, and start to read. Between the music and the book, I am instantly transported to my safe place, and tune out the train, the stink, and the ladies. But then my stop approaches, and I put my comic away. I’m still not paying attention, though, until there is a pause between songs on my iPod, and I catch a wisp of conversation:
“…sometimes, the guy will want to pay you with a credit card, but don’t you let him. You take him to a cash machine and make sure he gets cash. Always demand the money up front…”
It suddenly occurs to me that these girls are prostitutes, and the seasoned one is instructing a newbie. My head whips around (not too smooth, I admit), and the more experienced one makes immediate eye contact. Her expression is neutral. Neither “What’re you looking at?” nor “Hey sailor, new in town?” She’s waiting for me to make the next move.
I realize I have to either proposition them or get the heck off the train. Luckily, my stop come up at that moment and the doors swing open. Saved by the bell.
Still, I wish I had been listening in on that whole conversation.
I bet it was fuckin’ great.