I’ve taken the G train nearly every day for 3 years—during the school year to get downtown, and during the summer, so that I’d at least have the opportunity to do something. I never really had fun, but it was where everyone went. The train was especially busy that day in August. Several couples and loud preteen girls got on and off my car at every stop; I stood near the back. A few stops before my own the majority of the train was emptied, probably heading to a concert or festival. There were still quite a few people aboard but I remained in back, and there was no one in my general area. I scrolled slowly through an old, chunky iPod trying to maintain my balance. Every few seconds I glanced around, as usual, processing for no more than half a second each person’s face. Someone yelled, “Hey!” and I looked up for a moment. It was a tall, curly-haired, blond man looking my way, standing in the middle of 3 or so rather short girls. My eyes returned mundanely to my iPod, and I put it away. I looked at my feet and thought about how attractive he was, and what he could possibly doing with those girls. Again, a “Hey,” resounded. I realized then that he wasn’t talking to the girls around him, and wondered what was going on. He said something just as the train took off that I couldn’t make out through the screeching and chatter. I looked around me and everyone had disappeared, but he continued looking in my direction until the train slowed, and I approached the door and brushed against him as I stepped off.