The 22 Project: NYC - episode 4

If you've ever frequented the subway trains in New York, you know that short of an entire bench to yourself, this is one of the best spots in the subway car:

Why? Because it's perfect.  If you're on the side with the doors that remain closed at every stop, you can just stand there without ever having to budge up and out of the way.  Even as a shiny new addition to the Greatest City on Earth* (*citation needed), I know this nifty little subway trick – (un)fortunately, another NYC newbie on my train had learned it as well.

That's how I met Alex the artist.  Though he's originally from Washington DC, he has become a learned man when it comes to the subway and the best spots to stand.  I'll be honest, I first noticed him while he was standing and with a friend who happend to be substantially less handsome.  It might have been a better post if both of them were pictured, but I haven't conquered the fear of walking up to people in groups yet.  That's still on the table.  Even after his friend exited the train at 68th St. (or something like that), I wasn't planning to approach.

That's when it happened.  I decided to move from my seat to the spot pictured above, and just when I was about two feet away, Alex the artist just slipped right in before me!  It was like one of those moments when you're in the grocery store and notice that there's only one Snicker's bar left on the shelf – you don't really need it, but what the heck it'd be nice – and right as you're reaching out, a frumpy lady with a grocery cart full of frozen pizzas rolls in front of you and grabs it first.  It was exactly like that!  The difference is in this scenario, the frumpy frozen pizza lady sees that I was going for the Snicker's bar and hands it to me ever so nicely.

He was so nice about it!  We were both pretty awkward as well.  With him trying to be nice and me trying to be fair, neither of us wanted to stand in The Spot anymore.  Eventually we both won, Alex able to be the kind stranger and I claiming The Spot.  It's a good thing, too, because between my braids and his head full of hair, it could have turned into a subway cat fight of legend.