Say Something

Source: retronaut.co via Dayle on Pinterest

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is an important announcement from the New York City Police Department.  Protect yourself.  If you see a suspicious activity on the platform or train, 

DO NOT KEEP IT TO YOURSELF..."

I cast a glance to my left.  There was a bag sitting by itself on a seat.  I raised an eyebrow at the gentleman sitting to the left of the bag.  Then back down at the bag.

"Oh!  I'm sorry.  That's my bag,"  he apologized.  "I'm just lazy, I guess."  He pulled the bag onto his lap and straightened up in his seat.

"No problem,"  I relaxed.  "As a New Yorker, I just wasn't sure whether I was 'seeing something,' and whether or not I should 'say something'."

He laughed, and inquired about the bag on my lap.  My tour bag.

"Are those bloody footprints?"  he referred to the design on my canvas tote.

"Yup!"  I beamed.  "I do ghost tours!"

"No way,"  he doubted, incredulously.

"Absolutely!  Here's the information!"  I pulled a card out of the bag and showed him.  

"Tour guide?  And that pays the bills?"  my new friend raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I also work full time at a candy store.  Greeting people, telling them where the bathrooms are, feeding them candy.  Basically in all spheres I get paid to talk to strangers,"  I joked with a slight wink.  "But enough about me.  What do you do?"

"Oh, I work at a bank,"  he slumped in his seat.  "But I'm really a musician.  I just came from a gig.  Jazz piano."

"Oh?  Do you know Todd Robbins?  He plays piano in Woody Allen's band!"

"I can't say I do know him, but...how do you know him?"

I laughed.  "Well, he's a carny, and I worked for a magician when I first moved here four years ago..."

"Magic, ghosts, candy.  You have a fun life."

I turned serious for a moment:  "You know in high school, when they ask what you what to do with your life?  Well, the only answer I could really settle on was, 'I want to live an unusual life'."

"Well, it sounds like you're living the dream,"  he nodded thoughtfully.  "I'm Fred."

"Meghan,"  I replied, shaking his outstretched hand.  "If you ever want to take a ghost tour, or eat some candy, I can hook you up."