Monday, August 11, 2003

Quiet Enjoyment

* Excuse me, would you please turn that down?  And by down, I mean off?

* Oh um - No.  Screw that, dude.

* I get it, you’re turning it up now, is that right?  You know what, I think I’d rather talk to you than listen to your music.  I think that’s how I’m going to spend this ride - talking with you about how people treat each other. 

* Dude this is a public place, I can play what I want to and you’ve got no right to get in my face about it.

* ‘Dude,’ this is not a public place, it’s a public conveyance - it’s a closed train car and you’re not supposed to be playing music here.  There should be a sign posted but you aren’t actually telling me you’ve never heard of this, are you?

* What are you, dude, a tourist?  Don’t give me this shit.

* Yeah, I’m a tourist who’s lived here fifteen years, works here, rides this train every day, and doesn’t appreciate your taste in music.  Don’t impose it on me.  Outside, I’d just walk away from you.  Here, we have to live together and I’m asking for your courtesy.  Is that going to work?

* Dude there is no reason to go off on me, Jesus, you’re totally going off on me, I have a total right to be here, to ride this train and to listen to my music, it’s not hurting anyone and you’re just freaking out.  I paid my money and I can ride and jam out however I want to.  Oh man there is absolutely no reason for you to be taking this out on me.  I’m going over there so I don’t bother you.  Will that shut you up?

* It’ll dude for the time being.

I get irritated by some folks’ earphones - they have them up so loud, they must be deaf or going deaf - but I feel sorry for those people in the 70’s, or whatever at the advent of the BOOM BOX - that must have really sucked - sitting right next to somebody with a great big boom box on full blast - somebody with a really bad attitude who is pretty much daring you to say something so that you can become the tenth fight they have gotten in three days - like a Charles Bronson movie. 

A person HAD to learn to break dance in those days just to survive.

I just rode the “new” train system in L.A. on Saturday for the first time.  It’s really great!  There are signs posted at every station that say “NO LOUD MUSIC” along with a red circle with a slash through it with a boom box in the middle.

I was aching for one of those stupid signs - none visible in the car.  This guy would have taken such signs as an affront to his individuality.  As if he could have spelled it on a dare.

So, this really happened, huh? 

I’ve only ridden a commuter rail once or twice (as a tourist).  It wasn’t pleasing.

It all happened, pretty much as I wrote it.  I ride the train once a week usually, to happy hour - or more if it’s convenient.  It’s usually a pretty good system, but SF is a very compact city, especially the part worth visiting.  This guy was unlucky.  He crossed my path when I had a chip on my shoulder.  When I told him I was going to talk with him, his pupils shrank to pinpoints and his face went pale.  It was hilarious.  Made me drink my first beer at HH a bit faster than usual.