Happy Birthday
JAMES NEWTON
HOWARD!!!
On Friday I posted an excerpt of E.B. White's "Here Is New York", only to find riding home from work this afternoon that the very same quote was a SubTalk placard! This is either a complete plate of shrimp moment or I had already seen it out of the corner of my eye at some point and just not registered consciously.
I have made some new entries into the Commuter's Lexicon:
Cork (v) - The act of pausing and slowly looking around the station as soon as one has gone through the turnstiles, even though it is rush hour and there are thirty people right behind.
Corkee (n) - A commuter trapped in an upright turnstile because the previous person corked, thus stopping the gate from turning when it was far enough over have recorded the fare. Particularly infuriating with an unlimited ride MetroCard, which won't allow one to re-enter the station for seventeen minutes without a manual override.
F & V Syndrome (n) - A common confusion brought on by the bizarre incestuous relationship between the two train lines. Similar to the notorious "Kate & Allie Syndrome," but with more dire possible complications.
Hotblocker (n) - The person who is standing in just the right spot to interfere with a commuter's ability to check out an attractive member of their preferred gender.
Newsleecher (n) - A commuter who reads the newspapers of other commuters rather than getting their own.