Who you lookin' at?

Riding the New York subway is always an interesting experience. Even though I've done it for many years, I am always amused and a little surprised.

• No one makes eye contact, unless it's by mistake. It's a subtle way of saying that we don't trust one another.
  
• Sometimes, you catch someone who has obviously been staring at you. They quickly turn away as if to say "I wasn't looking at you" when you know they were.
• There's often a request for money. Today, a well-dressed, hip looking young guy positioned himself in the front of the train and began appealing to us as if he were a professional pitchman. If only we could spare a few small bills, he pleaded. Would he have objected if someone handed him a $50! I couldn't help but notice that his clothes looked brand new and his boots were the latest hip style. I was not the only one who pretended I didn't hear him. In my head, I chastise myself for not helping out, but that brings up another rule of the subway: never open your wallet in a public place.
  
• Today's entertainment was 2 minutes of mariachi music. They played guitars that were worn and looked as if they had been purchased at the local dollar store. One guy turned around and wiggled his little butt a number of times, in hopes of increasing his donation. Nope. No takers (or givers in this case). They slipped into the next car while the train was still running.
  
• I inevitably get asked directions, which is kind of funny because I don't live in New York and really only know how to get to and from certain places. I guess I have that motherly Midwestern look. Today, I was approached by a very polite, demure young woman who said she's from Kansas City. "No one smiles at you on the subway," she said. That's right, I said. You might want to keep your smile to yourself, I thought. We chatted for some time and then we hopped on different cars. I worried as I saw her go, wondering whether that quiet, demure look is going to get her in trouble.
• That's the other thing about the subway. You pass hundreds of people on a given day, but you'll probably never see any of them again.
  

It's a strange world.