I was on my way to work the other morning. I happened to be running a bit late (what's new?), but I was still catching the end of the morning rush hour, so it felt like the normal business crowd around me as I worked my way through the metro cars.
My mornings aren't usually interesting. I get to the metro, I jump on a train, I get to work. Occasionally, I see some elbows get thrown. But that usually happens more at 8:30am, when the trains are fullest and people still have a chance of making it to work on time. Not at 8:50am, when all of us boarding already know we're going to be late, so we don't fight it.
Anyway, mornings aren't usually interesting.
But the other day, I was heading down from one train platform to another, to switch trains, and I got to the platform, where a train, of course, had just closed its door and pulled out (jerk train). So I started walking down the platform to "my spot" where I place myself on the train at the door that lets me out right at the escalator at my stop. Time savers - the more you ride the metro, the more you learn prime locations to save time getting out of the metro for when you're running late.
Anyway, this is too long of an introduction to a very short story. Let's start over.
The other day, I was on my way to work, and I was walking along the platform for a train, and I passed this guy - I barely saw him there; definitely didn't make eye contact - and I had almost completely passed him when I heard, "How you doin,' sexy?"
And I kept right on walking, with no visible or vocal response.
First, it took him a while to get that comment out - I was practically completely beyond him, and I only just caught that mumble as I walked away. Dude, if you want a response, you've got to speak up while I'm still around to respond.
Second, I had the thought that maybe he was calling his girlfriend or someone, and happened to say that on the phone at a time when I could've taken it as being directed toward me. Which just makes me look foolish to take affront at such a comment. But it was 9:10am, so that just didn't seem likely.
Second.5, it was 9:10 IN THE MORNING. Who even says the word "sexy" that early in the morning? Doesn't that just seem too early to be saying such comments? I'm barely awake, I don't have time to be hit or focus to be hit on by some dirty stranger, okay? It just seemed silly.
Third, I was in work clothes with air-dried frizzy hair and a Tuesday morning scowl. I guess that's sexy to some guys - dude didn't seem at all like one of those guys.
I mean, I get it, I'm a very attractive, strong, confident, interesting, smart, twenty-something single female. Dude's gonna be attracted to that, naturally. It's just life.
But 9am is no time to express it. Because all you're gonna get is a non-responsive, scowl-faced-because-I-don't-want-to-be-going-to-work-right-now, grumpy, not-a-morning-person, girl walking right past you with no glance back to acknowledge the "compliment."
Try me later, when I'm coming back from work. Depending on the day, I could really use the laugh.
But if you're really hitting on me in the metro, chances are you're actually likely just to get my metro face.
*I actually am just naturally friendlier in the evenings than I am in the mornings. I'm not a morning person. I can barely talk to friends coherently/interestedly in the mornings. But evenings generally work okay. A few weeks ago, I even got invited to a Nationals baseball game by two strangers who were waiting for a less crowded train to the stadium (like that even exists!). The invite came after I had made friends with 3 women also looking to get on a less-crowded train, so they could go home - these guys heard us chatting, and I made sure they helped the women squeeze onto a train, after they had asked if I was hoping to board and I responded I was going a different direction. Once my new friends had safely boarded their train, one of the guys, probably about 40 years old, told me I should come to the game with them. All I wanted was to go home and stop sweating (mid-Summer, what can you do?), so I declined their invitation...but I considered it. Because how often do any of us just go to baseball games with random strangers? Never. That's how often. One day, I'll be brave and do something random. One day...
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