It began in the afternoon. The wind that had steadily been picking up since dawn began carrying flurries swiftly into the faces of the busy city population. She had a meeting at work that she didn't want to miss. There might not be time to make up money lost. Besides, they said the peak wouldn't hit until well after sunset. When she looked out her office window in the early afternoon and could no longer see the Tribune Tower on the next block, she decided it was time to abandon her plans to work until five. She wound her scarf around her neck, added gloves and a hood. There were cracks in her armor, but she had grown accustomed to the winter here. She didn't like to carry her extra hats and jackets. Besides, she only had a few blocks to the train, then only a few more to her apartment.
She considered stopping at a supermarket on the way. Maybe some red wine would be nice to weather this storm. But one glance in the window showed that lines for the registers stretched far into the produce aisle and beyond. As a gust of wind ripped off her hood, she thought it was just as well. The trains might be packed if she hesitated now. She rushed down the steps into the quiet, windless depths of the city subway. People rushed by with a sense of silent urgency. A pair of cops were posted between the steps to the two separate platforms. She wondered what cops were doing here? As the thought crossed her mind, a man rushed up the steps that she was headed towards.
"Are you guys off schedule? When is the next train coming?" His face was tense with held back frustration and worry. The cops shrugged and said they didn't know. They had gotten the question a lot already and directed him to a train employee.
She continued down the stairs unconcerned. She didn't mind waiting a bit for a train. Just as she reached the last steps, the people in front of her turned on their heels with a dismissive laugh and headed back up the stairs. How peculiar, she thought. No matter how crowded the train was, it was the definitely the best mode of transportation in poor weather. She turned the corner to reach the platform and was stunned to see a wall of bodies. Never before had she seen a platform this crowded. People stood waiting in an intensely quiet tunnel, their hats and coats wearing a thick layer of snow from the blizzard roaring over their heads.
She wandered toward the end of the platform where the last train car might stop. The crowd was slightly less dense there. Standing at the back against the wall, she thought to herself, How am I ever going to get on a train? I could wait here for hours. She was beginning to regret not making a quick potty break at the office. Minute after minute crawled by with no sound other than the whisper of tightly packed strangers. Occasionally a burst of noise would echo from the opposite end of the tunnel. As the time passed, with no train to be heard, she began to strategize on how best to gain a spot on a train. She immediately acknowledged that there was no chance of squeezing onto the first train. The people were crowded on the edge of the platform, and they guarded their places with sharp elbows and searing glances. She decided for the first train, she would only watch where the two doors stopped and try to make her way toward the edge.
Finally, the gentle roar of an oncoming train could be detected in the distance. The crowd pressed forward in anticipation of the battle for a space on the train. She waited, watching for weak spots in their neatly packed structure. The mass of winter coats and warm bodies did nothing to lessen the crashing of the giant train entering the room, and her worst fears were confirmed when each car that passed was packed to the gills with brightly colored hats, coats, and the people who wore them. As the train slowed to a stop, she noted the location of the two doors on the last car. As the people pushed and shoved their way towards the already full train, she scooted forward and neatly took the empty place left by the crowds splitting as they pressed towards their desired safety. She thought that she had made a small victory on the way to making it safely home. She stood extremely close to the tracks as the voice stating, "Doors Closing" echoed through the tunnel and train crept forward. As the vehicle blurred past her nose, she thought that she was in a good position to sneak closer to where the doors would be for the next ride, but likely would not get on. When the platform was silent again and the crowd of people only slightly lessened, the tension of the crowd raised palpably. Worry radiated off the people in waves and frustration pushed many to jostle closer to the edge. She began to question her decision to place herself precariously on the edge of the platform. What if the crowd pushed her in? She thought she detected anger from people who coveted her space. Now, the presence of the police upstairs made more sense. This was a sticky situation, and she was prepared to wage a war for a ride to safety.
As she stood there contemplating who she would jam herself in front of and who was infiltrating her bubble of space, a thought of unprecedented virtue occurred in her mind. A thought that struck her with such impact that she herself almost lost her balance into the ravine of tracks beside her. Looking into the faces of the people whom she had just viewed as obstacles in the way of her needs, she suddenly realized that she was no more deserving of a faster ride home than any person here. Indeed, it was likely that there were men and women around her, whose need for a spot on the next train far exceeded her own. The crowd that moments before had seemed so menacing, so tense, now looked simply like worried people. She noticed some strangers laughing quietly together, commenting on the rarity of the situation they were in. Who had heavy bags that they had to hold while waiting? Who was old and would need a seat? With this new awareness that they were all just people, she was struck by how willing she was moments before to forget people's humanity. If this were a real emergency, how would she act then? Further questions halted as the tunnel emitted the faint sounds of another train.
Again the crowd shuffled closer. The look of hope alight in each person's eyes. Would they push her in? She didn't think so anymore. The train rushed towards her and zoomed just six inches in front of her face. The windows framed a view of a train equally as packed as the one before. She considered her plans for maneuvering towards the door area with less gusto than before. If she got on next time, that would be fine. After all, as long as she made it home eventually everything would be alright.
As the train slowed, the last car bounced into view, and the windows showed a promising car with empty aisles and even a few open seats. The crowd buzzed at the remarkable sight. Maybe she would get on this train! Her eyes bulged as she watched the door of the train glide slowly past where she expected, and crawl to a shuddering stop right in front of her nose. People pressed around her from all sides, and she stared, stunned, at the fortuity of the event.
The doors opened and the crowd propelled her forward into her very own seat. She was amazed by this turn of events. The situation looked so bleak, and now she was headed to safety. How could things have turned around so quickly? In seconds, the car was filled with smiling faces and shared laughter as the area where she stood moments before emptied onto the train. And as she looked into the relieved eyes of the people, she wondered if when it came to karma, it really was just the thought that counts.
