riding public transportation to and from work the last few days, i've begun to realize that there is a certain amount of pt etiquette that should be practiced but most people don't follow. just one or two things that should be posted on the doors or repeated by that annoying voice that announces the stops... maybe even during the train ride, liven it up a bit and teach everyone a thing or two...
for one, there's the issue of hygeine... i know the trains/buses smell like public toilets, but when you are crammed in a train after working 10 hours and have someone's elbow in your back and a laptop case in your crotch while grabbing for the nearest handle so you aren't thrown to the ground, it's nice not get naseuting whiffs of BO from the shlump in front of you on top of everything else. this of course goes the other way too... people with too much perfume, aftershave, scented body lotion or whatever need to recognize there is a problem when everyone within a ten foot radius has watery eyes, are wrinkling up their nose and sneezing...
the other annoying this is those damn bags with wheels, whether they be suitcases, backpacks or briefcases... i understand the prevalance of backpain and people's wish to avoid it, but leaving those things to just roll and fall all over peoples toes and legs is very aggravating... i'd like to get through one day without bruised knees and crunched toes... they are worse than people with baby strollers who use their children as plows to get through crowds... and since we're on the subject of personal space, most people just don't respect it. if you are on a train and there are open benches available, why do you have to sit right next to me when you weigh 500 pounds and are going to ooze over into my area? walk your fat ass the five feet further down and plop on two seats like a real man...
i guess the biggest one, which i actually don't follow, is the don't look anyone in the eye rule. i actually am very much against this rule. generally i'm a very antisocial person and i dont want to get caught up in conversation with total strangers, but i think that getting on a train with 100 other people and then pretending they don't exist is just stupid. if you make chance eye contact with someone they hurriedly become interested in their pants crease. there is nothing wrong with a slight acknowledgement and a smile. i hate feeling like there is... i guess everyone else probably thinks i'm the special ed girl who rides everyday just sitting there smiling stupidly all over the place... oh well, you can't win them all.
anyway, i'm hoping to get through my week of MARTA without any major meteorological mishaps b/c i've lost both the umbrellas that i stole from work and don't have anything that even resembles a raincoat or galoshes... showing up to work wet will not make it any more pleasant. speaking of work, i love how everyone at work keeps asking me all concerned-like, are you okay megan? sure, i'm usually tired b/c i don't sleep much but i didn't realize i looked like that much crap. maybe i have the stink of a disinterested employee all over me and my overwhelming desire to give my two weeks is written on my forehead... i dont know what else it could be. either way, while it is funny to me now, i'm sure i'll get really sick of it in a few days because that's how things usually work for me. i know they don't have any genuine concern for my wellbeing, they are just worried i might not show up some day and they'll be screwed... they are so transparent it's sickening.
