So there were two strikes against me. It was rush hour AND I had to get on the subway. Ugh. Not the greatest combo at the best of times but factor in my need to go North from Wellesley station, and you’ve just lined up all the ingredients for the greatest reality show never seen: When Commuters Go Wild! There I was on the northbound platform with 30 or so other TTCers as the third subway, packed to capacity (around the doors at least. What is wrong with you people? Push in!) without anyone else being able to get on. Nerves were raw. I get it. Chances are, no one had a great day. And when you bookend a “cattle drive” commute around that nugget of hate you call a job, you end up with a shit sandwich that bites back! So people were tense is what I’m trying to say when miracle of miracles, the next subway train had people getting off! A glimmer of light. Space! Hope! And then catastrophe.Apparently this angry white woman had had enough waiting on the platform for yet again another train, decided to push people onto the subway car to make room for her. Two of the people she pushed were black tweens. I’m sure that’s why Angry pushed them, not because they were black but because they were tweens, kids. Mind you, I wouldn’t push a tween these days. I read the papers, they’ll cut you! Anyway, it seems Angry gave the Bleens quite a push because the boy got hurt and his sister may have done some spitting, some of which may have made contact with Angry which did nothing to calm her mood. That was the line! Angry pushed the Subway’s alarm and f-bombed everyone’s ride home. As Angry exited the train to complain to the conductor, half the train came with her! The buzzards were circling. I’ve never seen so many strangers all turn on one person like that before. When Angry asked, with regards to being spit on, “what country are you from?!”, I thought it was over right there. People, no matter what colour, age or how they were dressed all started yelling at her. This one businessman looked like was about to throw down, “I’m half white, don’t pull that colour card on me!”. They were mad! If we’d been in the middle east, they’d have stoned her right then and there! Well finally the cops came and soon after the subway chimed (lovely sound) and everyone except Angry and the Bleens jumped back on the train. The doors closed and no one on my car said a word about it. “What the hell was that?” I asked myself. Will there be fines? Charges? A book tour? With a name like Angry And The Bleens, you don’t just walk away. Unless that’s what is was. A distraction, much needed by the people all focused on one thing…getting home. I know my subway experience seemed less problematic from that point on. Drama, love it or hate it, you never have far to go to find it. God Bless the subway and all who ride her!
