Train Back from Rubber Room Night 1

February 9, 2011

11:05 and I am in the subway on the way downtown to catch the train home from Penn Station.  This reminds me of when I worked in the newsroom at the NY Times years ago, except I did not get off until 3AM.  

Everything is more marginal late night.  Instead of the crush that met me at Penn Station on the way in, during rush hour, the population is slow moving.  Many are sleeping on chairs and stairways.  Some have no place else to go.

The train itself has late night energy. To my right is a well-dressed couple, both absorbed in their cell phones, until she dozes off against the window.  Surprisingly, the same conductor with the shock of red hair takes my ticket again, the same one she handed back to me on the way into the city.

There is a child murmuring behind me.  The woman is holding her head like she has a tremendous headache, but she's only tired, the end of a long day.  

A perfectly bald man with a gold earring, at first he seems lost in thought, or asleep, but then I see he, too, is looking into his cellphone and moving his fingers -- these devices, our electronic friends, always there, ready to respond.  Who am I to talk, as I tap away at this iPad.

Tomorrow morning, must describe Rubber Room Performance #2, after reflecting on the differences.

Tomorrow evening, back in for Night #2 and Performances #3 and #4.