dumb public transportation moments, #7

i was on the brown line and i was trying to read my book when i saw this guy in a cowboy hat making rounds on the train. i assumed he was asking for money because that's what's involved in probably 95 percent of "interactions with strangers on the train."

sometimes it's other things, like when a couple of uppity, spoiled bitches go around calling people they don't even know "scary" without ever stopping to think that maybe they just happened to catch the person on an off day when he wasn't looking very nice and was really hung over.

but anyway, the cowboy hat guy walked up to me. i glanced up real fast and was like "hey man, i'm sorry but i'm not really interested" before he could say anything.

i've heard tons of bullshit stories about why random guys in the city need money and i never, ever give them any. i figure my method of preemptive striking saves both of us time; i don't have to listen to his stumbling attempt to warm my icy, black heart with his insincere sob story and he can keep his A-game for some sap who might actually fall for it.

but cowboy hat guy totally ignored me and kept smiling and waving his hands and gesturing at some piece of paper on a clipboard. i still didn't really look up but i said again "no, i don't want it."

he kept standing there but now he started looking kind of hurt and continued pointing to the piece of paper. i finally looked up for real and realized the guy he hadn't been just making random hand movements at me, he had been signing.

he had been signing because he was fucking deaf and trying to collect for a charity for deaf children and the piece of paper was a pledge drive sheet.