Riding the subway you never know what to expect. So we in New York have perfected the look-but-don't-show-it pose when riding the train. This can come in handy when assorted wackos and lunatics get in the subway car you're in. As soon as they come in, you get very busy with your book, newspaper, electronic device or whatever, just so you can pretend that whatever crazy thing they are doing--you want no part in it.
Sometimes this works, other times---it doesn't. This was the situation my cousin and I were in. There we were, minding our own business, gossiping about this or that topic, when from the other end of the car-- this huge man comes in shouting curses and insults in a very loud voice. Now this particular car was packed with people, who immediately looked at him and went into their... I'm looking-but-not-really mode...praying...oh please...don't let him come to me. But that didn't work, he went one by one and stood in front of each person and screamed at them that they were going to burn in the fires of Hell! they were corrupt! sinners! and so he made his way down the car.
Me and my cousin stopped talking and kept looking down at the floor, and at this guy out of the corners of our eyes--hoping that soon we would get to the next station (we were in the tunnel between stations) and praying...please let him skip us---please... Next thing we know he's in front of us. Needless to say, our hearts sank, oh no...here it comes. But to our utter shock--he knelt in front of us and said in the softest voice: ...and you two are angels of the Lord....sent to help us. We just stared at him--not daring to say anything. Then just as suddenly he stands up and turns around to face the woman who was sitting across from us and screams at her ...but you! you are going straight to hell! you are evil, evil! you are eternally damned!... as the train rolled into the station.
My cousin and I didn't hesitate--we practically jumped out of that train and into the station, even though it wasn't our stop--we didn't want to take any chance that this guy would change his mind and throw us into the eternal fires that were burning his tortured mind.
