Manhattan, F train to Brooklyn, 10/21/2021
I can’t remember how the conversation started, but this is how I entered the subway. As people were getting off and I was getting on, I saw a woman quickly pass something white to the man sitting in the train. He was at the end of the car, where there was just one seat, with space for two people. This was during the pandemic, people were still masking and social distancing.
Morning light infiltrates the streaming water
and the fallen leaves.
This underwater brilliance shows up in my heart.
pic by Anna K. Gilman
I sat caddy corner across from him, putting my cushion and ice pack down on the seat and then wondering what that white thing was. Did the woman know him? It seemed strange; was it a secret message? It had all happened so quickly. I must have looked over to the man as I got settled. Maybe I looked, then looked away, and looked back.
To my surprise, he suddenly started talking with an upbeat, generous voice. He was looking at me. “She gave me a mask! I forgot mine. You know, there are people that want to do right, they want to, but they forget.” He put on the mask, and it was a white one that fit snuggly, and contrasted to his black skin.
I do not remember what I said, but I continued the conversation and he was able to say more, and then there were no more exchanges.
The subway wasn’t very full, so social distancing was fairly easy. There was a woman (with a mask, everyone that I could see was masked). She was sitting on the same bench a few feet away. A woman was across the aisle and to the left, and another woman farther to the left. I liked noticing who I was riding with. They were younger than I and their skin darker, which wasn’t hard, since my skin is called white.
We quietly listened to the train on the tracks, being with the motion. Behind my mask, I sneezed. And in no time, I was quite surprised to hear a variety of voices saying “Bless you.” My head came up and I looked, nodded and said a quiet, “Thank you.”
Anna K Gilman©10/30/2021
