I haven't written about the subway in a long time! The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, ever since I started taking the GO train/bus, my travel time in the subway has been cut by more than half, thereby decreasing my exposure to the interesting happenings and characters that dwell there. Secondly, I think I've been exposed to these interesting happenings and characters enough, that nothing that goes on there even phases me anymore.... Except maybe for the following:
After a long day, I'm feeling really sleepy, so I close my eyes and try to sleep as the subway train jerks and squeals and screeches along.... the train stops at Spadina station and the doors open... I open my eyes to see a man come in with an obvious movement disorder.... he displays random, uncontrolled, jerky, and rapid movements.... the proper term in chorea, but I'm too tired to verify it with the files in my head, and much too tired to think of a diagnosis, so I close me eyes and try to sleep again... this way, I won't appear to be staring at him since he decide to sit right in front of me..... all of a sudden the train comes to a screeching halt in the middle of the tunnel and stays motionless for several minutes.... man with movement disorder jumps up suddenly and starts yelling!! I can't make out what he's saying, but he's yelling and flailing his arms around 30 cm from me!! The whole subway car turns to look in our direction.... What do I do?... I pretend not to be phased and I pretend to sleep again.... Huntington's Disease I think to myself.... there can be cognitive and psychiatric sequelae late in the disorder I think.... I keep my eyes slightly open to make sure he doesn't hit me.... the train starts up again, and he calms down.... I'm wide awake at this point, but I keep my eyes closed....
I realize that I'm in youngin country from St. George to Queen's Park stations, coz a lot of the conversations I hear go something like this: "like oh my god! could you believe blah blah blahed blah blah blah? Like what the heck is that, like doesn't blah blah blah like blah blah blah?! Like come on, like that's like crazy!! blah blah blah like blah blah like blah"... okay, do these girls actually go to the University of Toronto?!.... scary thing is that I understood what they said.....
It's the last day of the month, and like the excellent procrastinator that I am, I have left buying a new subway monthly pass to the last day.... needless to say the line-up at the Union Station ticket booth is long.... as I wait patiently in line I observe a little old man with the whitest of hair trying to purchase some subway tokens from the automated machine.... the machine doesn't seem to be working, so the little old man walks away.... he looks so frail and pale as he shuffles along.... he walks around to the other machines, I'm pretty sure those work, but he doesn't seem to get his tokens.... then he walks to the turn-style, what is he looking for.... he seems disoriented and continually fidgets with his wallet in his back pocket.... I suddenly realize that he may be short of cash, he's been trying to put a toonie ($2 coin) in the machine, but it think a token costs $2.25?.... realizing that I will miss my bus to suburbia if I continue to wait in line, I walk over the old gentleman, who at this point is watching other passengers buy tokens from the automated machine.... "excuse me sir" I say as I tap him on the shoulder "would you like to have my metropass, it's still good for one day".... he looks at me surprised, "oh thank you".... "you're welcome, take care now".... I run to catch my bus to suburbia....
While on the bus to suburbia, I think about the old gentleman, and hope he got home safe and sound... I think about my own parents as well, who themselves are getting older.... as the eldest offspring, it is my responsibility to ensure that my parents will be well taken care of, so they will never be short of cash, or will never have to wander around in the chaos of the subway.... I worry about them more and more, as their health fails them.... time has a disturbing way of flying by.... I remember the little old gentleman with the whitest of hair, and my own parents, as I read this poem:
A Dead Rose
O Rose! who dares to name thee?
No longer roseate now, nor soft, nor sweet;
But pale, and hard, and dry, as stubble-wheat, -
Kept seven years in a drawer-thy titles shame thee.
The breeze that used to blow thee
Between the hedgerow thorns, and take away
An odour up the lane to last all day, -
If breathing now, - unsweetened would forego thee.
The sun that used to smite thee,
And mix his glory in thy gorgeous urn,
Till beam appeared to bloom, and flower to burn, -
If shining now, - with not a hue would light thee.
The dew that used to wet thee,
And, white first, grow incarnadined, because
It lay upon thee where the crimson was, -
If dropping now, - would darken where it met thee.
The fly that lit upon thee,
To stretch the tendrils of its tiny feet,
Along thy leaf's pure edges, after heat, -
If lighting now, - would coldly overrun thee.
The bee that once did suck thee,
And build thy perfumed ambers up his hive,
And swoon in thee for joy, till scarce alive, -
If passing now, - would blindly overlook thee.
The heart doth recognise thee,
Alone, alone! The heart doth smell thee sweet,
Doth view thee fair, doth judge thee most complete, -
Though seeing now those changes that disguise thee.
Yes, and the heart doth owe thee
More love, dead rose! than to such roses bold
As Julia wears at dances, smiling cold! -
Lie still upon this heart-which breaks below thee!
,
TTC,
subway scenes,
elizabeth barrett browning
This is the scene that I have been coming home to for the past few months.... an 
I try to keep his birthdays happy for the humans in his life, but for myself, Nermal birthdays ceased to be happy occasions last year, when I realized that they are just a count-down to Nermal's inevitable passing. I'm sorry if that sounds depressing, but it really depresses me to think of how short life is on this earth, and even more so for a beloved pet. I can't even imagine that in another 5, 6, or if I'm extremely lucky, 10 years, I may not have Nermal running to the door to greet me when I come home, or wake me every morning with his incessant purring and face touching.... but such is life..... and while I have him I will make the most of our time.... 
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A Robin Redbreast visited my backyard, just in time for the first day of Spring.... a Happy New Year to our Persian friends as well!
I give up
WAT THA! Is that running water?!
Are we done yet?
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