Caught in a Stare
Have you ever been caught staring at someone even though you were just in a daze? The world completely blacked out with your eyes open. You had no idea they were even there.
This happened to me on the subway yesterday. It always seems to happen on the subway. The emergency room is a good place for this as well. Elevators, no.
Let us go back up a couple of hours before that subway ride. I wasn't even supposed to be in the city. New York City. I was planning on spending a relaxing day laying behind my couch. I had already made soup. It had meatballs in it.
All of a sudden my phone was telling me that I had a lot of people sending me messages. This was weird for a couple of reasons. First, why was my phone making noises? This is an unusual setting for me. I prefer the mute / no vibrate combination.
Then I remembered that I had to take the cover off earlier. When I do that it always flips that stupid switch up. The sound switch. I only took the cover off because I like to use my phone as a coaster. I like that extra half-inch of elevation it gives my drink. Give it a try.
Well, it was a humid day, and there was an abundance of condensation on my glass from me not drinking it quick enough. The condensation had dripped down my glass and had made a little pool for my phone to swim in. So I took off the cover, dried it off with two paper towels, and set it down without putting the cover back on. I still wanted it to air out a little. That is why my phone started making noises.
Question number two. What the hell is going on? Why so many messages? My heart sank immediately. It had to be something bad. For sure this is the case. I sat there for a minute thinking that I do not want to know what it is. I will just pretend I didn't hear. My phone was supposed to be off, so I didn't hear it. Yes, that will work.
It did not. I got up from my comfortable position behind the couch and went to my phone. I stood there shocked at what I was reading. Seventeen seconds later I was out the door.
I guess I should have expected something like this. I did choose New York City to be my home, but I never thought I would see this. I exited the subway on 57th and 6th. I shoved my way through the crowd two blocks north to Central Park South then looked up and to the left.
There he was. Wow. I was so happy that I used my phone as a coaster and that it got pooled in some condensation so that I had to take the cover off and it flipped the switch to the sound position.
Some things just happen for a reason. He was two avenues over in Columbus Circle, and he was as big as I had imagined. It was the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, just standing there. I don't get star struck easily, but this really got to me. So I fainted.
After the novelty wore off I grabbed a $5 gallon of milk and a $7 box of cereal and headed home. I had left the soup out and was pretty sure it was bad by now.
I descended into the subway station and my train immediately came which only brightened my day more. When that happens it is like hitting the lottery for $10.
There were no seats available, of course, because of the large gathering of people looking at a large man that is made of marshmallows. I snuggled up to a pole and began to daydream. That is when I was caught staring at someone even though I was in a daze and had no idea they were there.