The Metro

So every day in order to get to work I must catch METRO.
I will admit that our system is one of the nicer systems that I have been on (being that I have been on the train in Philly and New York) so I CAN say that for an urban market, METRO is pretty decent...
With that said, that is not what this post is about.
What bothers me the most about the METRO is that you actually see how much things have shifted in society and how much things really haven't.

1) men do NOT give up their seats. They do not get up for women, for children, for their elders, nothing...men just will not get up anymore. Now I personally don't mind riding the train standing up the entire time boucing from one end to another as I try so desperately to keep a firm grip of my stance as to not bump into anyone else, who is also pissed off that they have to stand up...but what does bother me is when I see an older woman, let's say my mother age, having to do the same thing and a man, just sitting there! That bothers me.
On more than one occasion I have given up my seat to one of my elders because I just don't feel right sitting down while they have to stand.

2) children/youth acting a fool. Now, in the summer time, its not as bad because they aren't going and coming from school. But during the school year, you can hear them yelling and cursing and just acting like they are the only people who are on the train. WHY? Its like they do not know any better. They kick their feet up, they swing on the bars, whatever you can think of, they do it on the train. And for what? I still haven't figured that one out. Maybe to let adults know that they are "bad" not to be messed with, but whatever the reasons, it urks me, I mean it really urks me. I have attempted to say something to them on several occasions, but they look at me as if I am the crazy one. They will curse you out in a heart beat and keep right on moving.

Side note: the fact that children (as young a 5 years old) are so loud and disrespectful is something that I will talk about in another post..."The state of our children" We have to do something about that...

3) People talking on the phone on the train (LOUDLY TALKING). There is nothing worse then you trying to get a couple of winks in on the train and all of a sudden you hear someone's phone begin to ring, and then they go talking. I don't know if folks think because they are on a train there is an echo...I don't know what it is but it seems like the majority of people who answer the phone while on the train yell....

3a) Those people that talk on their Nextel walkie-talkie on speaker! WHY in de HELL do you need to talk on the walkie-talkie on speaker, WHY???!!!! There is no need to do that, you can put it on private. And its not like they are just saying 1 or 2 things to the person, they are having a long drawn out conversation on the two-way (which urks me in general, they obviously have Nextel, pick up the phone and call them it won't take away from your minutes....seriously).

4) Every once in a while you end up on the train with someone who doesn't have it "all." Meaning they are yelling and cursing everyone out, singing a song, telling folks they going to hell, you name it they are doing it. Now when something like this happens, which is a guarantee to happen at least ONCE a month. You just try your best not to make any eye contact or laugh at anything that they are ranting about, because IF you do, PLEASE believe you WILL be their next target. They take no prisoners and aren't wrapped to tight anyways so its a thin line between them just saying crazy stuff and literally acting crazy on the train.....

so all in all I don't have to many issues with the METRO. I mean the majority of the time I am able to get a seat and am able to close my eyes. Every now and then (like on yesterday ride home) someone will sit behind me and start to talk about racism and how we are all just dumb bleep bleeps for falling for the "man" and yell at the top of their lungs "WAIT TIL MY BOOKS COMES OUT, 2 MILLION SOLD, YOU WILL THEN KNOW THE TRUTH" (how can it have sold 2 mil, but its not even out yet...OK, we'll get). And sometimes I have to hear children use language that only futhers stereotypes about a certain group and class of people...or have to give up my seat because a man won't for an older person...

but hey its either deal with that to get to VA to work OR drive...If I have to chose, give me METRO, the crazy folks, the loud kids, and them bamas that talk on their two-ways any day over the headache of DC traffic.....