Monday, September 6, 2006 - 8:07 a.m.

This is the first el ride after my recent move. Fortunately, I am still going to the same stop and taking the same path for the most part.

A man was also taking the same path to the train and his gait was really delicate. He was carrying one of those cloth tote bags that are easy giveaways from conferences I tend to only use then throw away.

The woman who sat in front of me had a daily devotion book. Today's reading was about a lamp and came from Revelations 22.

College is underway and the students are filling up the train (this will diminish as the semester continues and the skipping/failing of classes starts) Or maybe I missed the memo about casual Wednesdays. One of the male students had a very sleek casual look with a madras hat and seer-sucker shorts. Unfortunately, he bought the shorts to big so you could see his ridiculous striped boxers underneath.

An overheard conversation:

Man: "Hey you"

Woman: "OMG! Hi! How are you?"

Man: "Great! And You?"

Woman: "Good ... Good."

Man: "You don't remember me do you?"

Woman: "Not at all."

Man (answering dejectedly thinking he had made more of an impact than he really did): "We knew each other from xxx"

The conversation trailed off but I was enthralled at how well this woman feigned enthusiasm at this chance meeting and conversation.


Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 5 p.m.

Sitting behind me was an Eastern European couple and their daughter who was about five. The man had a continual conversation with his daughter and here are some of the gems.

"That is Wrigley Field, one of the most important places in America to Americans."

"I don't want to hold your doll, boys don't play with dolls" The little girl responded that the boys in her class do - which he responded "No, I know they play with trucks."

After the suspicious activity announcement "I think you have suspicious activities and I should report you to the authorities" which the little girl screamed NO! after that.