CAN I HELP YOU?

We've all been there. It's rush hour. You jam yourself into a packed
subway. You hold your breath and will the doors to close and they do.
Everyone is packed in like sardines. You pray for the train to start
moving already and to hurry up and get you to your destination so you
can breathe again like a person.

And then it happens. It is subtle at first and you are not sure if it
is really happening. But there it is again. Someone is touching you.
Your leg, your back, your shoulder, your butt. Someone is leaning
into you with something hard. You start to feel sick. You want to
look around and see who is doing this to you. You want to yell and
scream. But you are paralyzed. You can hardly move as it is. It is
crowded....is this person actually leaning into you or are they just
close because it is a crowded train?


MY DAILY TRIP TO WORK


At a certain point you realize it is certainly intentional. What to
do? I have been taking the subways and buses for 4 years and I would
say this happens to me in some shape or form about every other month.
I was once on a train and a woman started screaming 'Get the F off me
MotherF'er!' Screaming. And the guy moved away from her, looked
ashamed, and we all gave him dirty looks. Well this woman became my
new idol.

I am sad to say that I have only been able to emulate her behavior on
one occasion. A guy was touching me and I started screaming 'Get off
of me!!!' repeatedly. It totally worked. The guy was about 60 and
wearing a suit, carrying a briefcase. So sick. Someone's husband,
someone's father and grandfather. A sick coward who cops a feel on
crowded subways.

Lately I have resorted to trying to move away from the fondler. If
its not possible to move I turn my body and use my arms as a barrier
between me and the offender.

The last time this happened to me (about 2 months ago) I moved from
one fondler only to have found myself next to another one. Imagine, 2
in the same car! Unbelievable.



SEARCHING FOR INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHERS

Ahh, just a small price to pay for living in the greatest city on earth.....:)

--A