Umbrellas

I hate umbrellas. I rarely use them, but this morning the rain is so bad I have little choice. On 186th Street I see Harriet and she waves. I wave back and continue on to the station. Miriam B. is walking out as I'm walking in. She has taken the elevator down from Fort Wash and tells me she is on her way to see a client.

Swiping my card at the turnstile, I get the infamous "insufficient fare" message, and am surprised to learn that my monthly has expired yet again. I am getting a new card and just finishing the purchase when I hear the train approaching. I don't run for it, and I miss it, but once on the platform it's clear that was an uptown. There are still plenty of people waiting for the downtown. Adam E. is on the platform just ahead of me.

Walking towards my usual spot I run into Tova K. We sit together on the train and discuss her upcoming travel plans. Two nights ago, we spent an hour on the phone - I was giving her tips on what to see in various European cities - and so the subject switches quickly. We move into a discussion about relationships. This seems to be the new hot topic in the neighborhood, with lots of scandalous chitchat to fuel it. I'm glad to say, however, that our conversation is able to stay away from the shallow, even as we discuss people that have long ago fallen off the deep end.