Being New Yorkers, we ride the subway a lot.  My kids are, for the most part,  immune to the eccentricities of some fellow riders;  guys who curse at no one in particular, or panhandlers telling you their story of woe or the mariachi band who plays from stop to stop, then passes the hat around for donations.    Then there are the train conductors;  some of them don’t announce the stations anymore, or admonish people to step away from the doors.   That part of the job is largely automated, and you should hear Ben mimic the recorded voice that says, “Stand clear of the closing doors, please.”   It’s classic.

Every now and then though, you still get to hear the conductor over the train’s PA system.

Often they come across loud and clear and slightly annoyed.   “I SAID let GO of the doors in the FRONT!”  or “Stand clear of the doors!”  They don’t bother with ‘please’.  My kids sit with their books and never blink an eye.

Today we got on the train to go to 14th St, and I saw both my kids lift their heads when the conductor said, “Next stop 59th St.”   I was wondering what was going on with the guy when Ben leaned over and whispered in my ear, “That guy doesn’t sound like he likes his job very much,”  which made me burst out laughing, because yes, yes, absolutely yes and then some.

A perfect assessment.   Definitely the quote of the day.