Telling my story about meeting the lady on my commute home the other day (Pay $5 forward) made me think of another cool experience I had on the train. I think this commuting thing may wind up being kind of fun, after all. I may learn some stuff. Anyway…
I got on the train after work one night and found a seat next to a tattooed young fellow, who was chatting with his friend sitting facing us. I could tell from their conversation they were returning home from college or something and when the tattooed fellow wondered aloud about where to eat in Chinook I said, “Joey Tomato’s is always a good bet.” They enthusiastically agreed and the decision was made.
Since the ice had been broken with such sound advice, I was henceforth included in their conversation. We talked and talked about movies and Star Trek, Star Wars and George Lucas, and captains and kings. We discussed the age old question of which captain was best – Kirk or Picard? (As an older female Trekkie, I made the observation that they all had their strengths and that I personally liked Janeway – then had to briefly endure their derision.) I even offered a word of wisdom on a matter of the heart that blew them away. “I’m going to remember that and quote it,” said the Mr. Tattoo.
Too soon, it was time for them to get off and leave me musing. How often do you see young fellows like that, who are so open to talking to a middle-aged lady on a train? I thought how some folks might have been turned off by all the tattoos the one young man was sporting and what a pleasurable conversation I’d have missed out on if I’d been one of those folks. I thought about how humour and smarts and advanced thought can come in all kinds of packages and that even we “mature” ones can learn a thing or two from the young. Hanging out with these two young fellows gave me hope for the future.
