Strangers on a Train
I'm on the Metro North on my way to Manhattan. I'm putting makeup on my face. The woman next to me is reviewing legal briefs.
Afterwards, I put my glasses back on. I laugh, and say out loud to her, “It's always such an adventure seeing what I look like after I've put makeup on without glasses.”
She laughs, “I don't know how you do it on a moving train. I mean, I'm just trying to make these corrections…”
“Oh, you know,” I say, “you just do what you gotta do…”
And I glance sideways at her. She's not wearing makeup. And I think, I don't usually wear makeup either. Why do I “have to” wear it today? And I guess we will remain strangers, for now, anyway.
Afterwards, I put my glasses back on. I laugh, and say out loud to her, “It's always such an adventure seeing what I look like after I've put makeup on without glasses.”
She laughs, “I don't know how you do it on a moving train. I mean, I'm just trying to make these corrections…”
“Oh, you know,” I say, “you just do what you gotta do…”
And I glance sideways at her. She's not wearing makeup. And I think, I don't usually wear makeup either. Why do I “have to” wear it today? And I guess we will remain strangers, for now, anyway.
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Other stories by Deborah Oster Pannell
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I hate it when a conversation ends like that. *
Nice creative nonfiction at work here, for sure. I wondered after I finished if the idea of strangers was hinted at anywhere before then and went back searching. I figured afterwards that the entire act of putting on makeup was the "hint" I was looking for after all. Good stuff.
Hardy-esque in a way.
Somehow these few words made me imagine whole lives for these two characters.
Thanks for the great feedback you all!
So -- why does she "have to" wear it today??
Guess I'll never know. (Unless there's a sequel!)
I watched myriads of women putting on make-up on NYC subway trains. I am amazed there aren't more blind women. I once saw a woman on the #2 train at 7AM completely change her clothes, including her underwear in the most discrete, but contorted fashion. Then she did her face.Vanity is a powerful force.*
Roz. This is a very good question. Still working on an answer... and related to your observation, too, Daniel. I susprect it's not pure vanity, but some combination of that plus a deeply ingrained societal pressure for women to look a certain way. It's not one or the other, but I believe some strange hybrid...
You hooked me. Don't get off this train.