This past week, I was in Chicago visiting my sister and her hubby (or "Chi-town" as she lovingly calls it). And maybe I don't have enough "real-world" experience to gauge this correctly... but Chicago Public Transportation ("the L") is quiet. Too quiet. Does that happen in other large cities? Is it a factor of the midwestern "hospitality" and politeness thing? How many "quotation marks" are too "many"?
(fyi: Brilliant.)
The Blog of Unnecessary Quotations
Everytime we hopped on the train, every person was looking in a different direction. I tried (mistakenly) to coax a smile out of a man one time sitting across from me. Nothing big, just looking up from under my eyelashes sheepishly, almost knowingly. It has NEVER failed to make a "friend" on the train, this knowing and sheepish smile. More than just my ego being wounded, I have never known that over sixty people could be together in a small enclosed area fifty feet above the street and not even utter one word. Not. One. Is that not weird? There weren't even any loud homeless people (or quiet ones, for that matter) or anything to break the silence. Eerie.
There have been very few times in my life where I've hoped for muzak (like the kind from elevators in the "nicer" office buildings. Which is usually where I expect to find such things), but the Chicago public transportation could definitely benefit from a little instrumental Michael Bolton or Meatloaf. TELL ME that people wouldn't at least react to that. (Note: I did not say react well, I'm just saying react. I, however, love me some Meatloaf. "Love.")
See? I have great ideas, mom. It's a wonder that I don't have a job.
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